A Carpathian Story
by Konotsu
Summary: COMPLETE! Brook is captured by a vampire, 7 yrs. later, she escapes and is rescued by Francesca and Gabriel. She finally has a loving home, but something evil might jeapordize that. Please R&R, criticism is also allowed. Thanks! :D
1. Chapter 1: Kidnapping

Brook woke up to the sound of a song playing in her seven year old mind. Where did it come from? She didn't know but she wanted to find out. It was a soft, hypnotizing lullaby playing in her head. Nothing else was filling her mind. Getting out from under her Barbie doll covers, she walked quietly out of her room, stalking down the carpet of the steps as quietly as she could. Her little feet made no sound at all. She reached her back door, her little hand turning the golden knob. She walked out the door with her feet meeting the concrete steps as she walked down them taking her into the back yard. Cutting through the yard, she went into the dark woods with the lullaby getting louder and louder as it lured her more into the night.

She was getting closer and close to the source of the song. She was desperate to meet that source. Her bare feet walked through the dirt and gravel of the path. The gravel didn't hurt her feet and the dirt didn't bother her one bit. The tall branches of the trees cut into the path but they were to tall to meet her head. Her light blue nightgown went to her knees and her auburn hair went straight down her back to meet her little waist. Her forest green eyes were set straight ahead to meet her destination. Nothing else appeared to be important to the seven year old.

The dirt path trailed her to meet a cave. Out of the dark cave appeared a tall man. Her mind was confused at the appearance of the strange man but this appeared to be the source of the song. He sang the entrancing song from his lips. She just stood there to hear it. The song disappeared for the man to ask a question.

"Who are you, little one?" He asked with a gentle smile showing white teeth.

"Brook." She answered. "Who are you?" She asked shyly.

"I'm Devin." He answered. "Come here, young one." He ordered gently, probing her mind to force her to listen. He held out his hand for her take. She studied his large hand than his appearance. He was tall with black hair and dark eyes that held nothing at all. It creeped her out a bit but his face held beauty. His face looked like it was carved from perfection. He waited for her response with his hand held out for her to take.

"Okay." She smiled, placing her small hand into his. "Good." He said, his voice holding some accomplishment. He started leading her to the cave.

"Was that you singing that song?" She asked curiously.

"Yes. It was me. Do you like it?" He asked looking back at her.

"I love it. It's beautiful." She said, her voice cheerful. Furrowing her brows, she asked, "Where are we going?"

"Just in the cave. I want to show you something." He answered. Something inside her told her that something wasn't right. "I should probably get back to my house. My parents will wake up and find me gone." She said trying to pry her hand from his but his grip on her tightened.

"I won't be long, I promise." He responded. His voice started to sound gruff and that sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

"Alright." She started to relax a bit chasing away the confusion and fear that were stirring in the pit of her stomach. She was in the cave now. Everything was pitched dark around her making her scared.

"I can't see anything." She said, her voice quivering. "You will." He responded in a gruff tone. She blinked her green eyes and when she opened them, she saw a horrid sight before her.

It was ugly and she screamed at the sight of it. The thing before her was terrifying. It had gray skin the was tight over its face and sunken black eyes that were hollow. Its mouth had protruding teeth that were stained black from what looked like to be blood. Skidding back to the entrance of the cave, she fell backwards onto her back. She tried to get back up and run but the thing grabbed her bare foot and dragged her back to him. Screaming, she kicked at his hand but to no avail. His daggered nails were digging into her ankle sending pain through her foot.

"Let me go!" Brook cried with tears forming in her eyes. She turned onto her stomach and tried to drag herself from his grasp, digging her nails into the dirt below her.

"You're not going anywhere." He rasped dragging the girl to him. She screamed at the top of her lungs. The thing put his dirty hand over her mouth.

"Shut up! You're never going back home to anyone. Your staying with me. Your happiness will be gone, the love of anyone will never find you, and most of all you'll be in the dark forever from now on." Tears started choking at the back of her throat at the sound of his words coming from his foul mouth.

**_Back at the House_**

Brooks mother woke up at the disturbing distress coming from somewhere. "Brook." She whispered in panic. She flung the sheets over her waking her husband, Mark, up. "Anne, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice filled with grogginess. "It's Brook. Something's wrong with her." She answered running out of bed to her daughter's room, her husband following behind her. They saw her door wide open but Brook wasn't in her bed. Her blankets were disturbed and thrown to the side of the bed.

"Oh God!" Mark said racing down the steps to the back door. Mark and Anne saw the door open, they both raced outside. "Brook!" The called out but came no response. Anne calmed her racing nerves down, closed her eyes, and tried to feel which direction her daughters energy went. She opened her eyes and felt she went down to the path leading into the woods.

"Mark, she went this way." She told her husband. "Ok, let's go then." He trusted her judgment. They both began walking down the path. Anne lead while her husband followed. Once they got closer to where Brook was, they heard their daughters cries coming from an eerie cave.

"She's here." Anne whispered. Mark raced ahead of her, entering the cave. Anne chased after her husband.

"Brook!" Mark screamed with worry at the sight of an ugly thing holding his daughter captive. "Oh my god!" Anne covered her mouth at the sight her husband was seeing.

"Mommy, daddy." Brook cried holding out her arms to her parents. "Hold on, honey." Her mother said.

Brook saw her parents enter the cave. She was relieved yet scared. She wanted to go home to her warm bed and safe in her parents arms. She looked to her mother who had blond hair and forest green eyes while her father had brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was 6'0 and her mother was only 5'5.

"So these are your parents, ehh?" He asked rhetorically with humor filling his gruff voice.

"Let her go!" Her mother screamed. Her green eyes narrowed on the vampire, then all of sudden he was flung away from her daughter slamming into the wall of the cave.

"Mommy." Brook cried running into her mothers arms. "It's okay honey, we're here." Anne reassured her daughter, carresiing her hair. The vampire got up and transformed into a large, growling black wolf.

"Oh no, this can't be." Mark said before the wolf leaped at his throatm its teeth aiming for a killing bite.

"Mark!" Anne screamed, she flung the wolf away from him, then went to his aid. She could tell that he was dead just by the blood running from his gaping throat. "Daddy." Brook whimpered in her tiny voice. She went beside her mother only to see the wolf leap at her mothers' back sending her on top of her husband.

"Nooo!" Brook screamed jumping on the black wolf only to be sent flying into the cave wall being knocked into blackness. The last sight was of the wolf killing her mother.

She woke up to the horrid smell of death. Her head was thrumming behind eyes. "Where am I?" She asked herself.

"You're with me." She heard a foul voice say to her left. At the sound of the voice, everything came running back to her mind. The song, the tall male, the sight of the ugly thing, and her….her parents.

"Mommy, Daddy?" She whimpered. Following the smell across from her, she saw her parents lying on the ground. Her fathers' throat was ripped out and her mother had blood under her form.

"Mommy." She croaked, she crawled to her mothers' body. Her soft blond hair was splayed over her face. She swept her hair from her face to see her eyes closed.

She shook her body. "Mommy, wake up." Brook called. No response came.

"She's not waking up dear." The thing called from behind her. She ignored him and went to her dead father. "Daddy, wake up." She shook her father's body but again, no response.

"They're both not waking up." The vampire laughed. She started crying at the news. Both her parents were dead because of her. A choking sound came from her throat with tears forming in her eyes. Crawling over to her mother, she curled into a ball onto her mothers' stomach.

"I'm sorry mommy, daddy." She cried softly. "I didn't mean for the to happen, forgive me." She whispered.

"Oh boohoo! Get up, we're leaving." The vampire mocked walking over to her. He grabbed her by the hair pulling her from her mother. She screamed from the pain bringing more tears. She grasped his hand to ease the gripping pain from her head.

"Let go of me!" She screamed. He slapped her across the face to silence her scream. He forced into her mind sending her psychic barriers down. So, she had psychic powers too. He grinned at that knowledge. Perfect.

"Shut up!" He threw her into the wall, sending her into oblivion. Walking over to the girl, he picked her up and formed himself into mist and traveled to another location with the girl.

**-End of Chapter-**

**-**Tell me what you thinnk. Please R&R.


	2. Chapter 2: Escaping, Meeting her Angel

Brook woke up to her living nightmare. Cracking her eyes open, the coldness of the stone ground was always the first thing she felt. She looked at her unchanged surroundings. Living in a cave didn't change much. There were stone walls around her that were black and the entrance was blocked with only a ray of evening light shining through. The only thing that was different about it was that there was a patch of soil inside the cave that the vampire always rested in. She liked it when the thing buried itself in the soil but she hated it when he woke up like he was doing now. She felt the ground rumble beneath her, giving a sign that he was waking up from his daily rest.

'_Why couldn't he just stay buried beneath the ground for eternity and die?…..' _She thought with new found fear filling her mind.

'_I'm already dead, young one.' _The vampire teased horrifically. She didn't respond because she hated that the vampire was inside her head easily. She could feel his ugly thirst thrumming through him. It was always like that when he first awoke. The ground opened up, releasing the creature from its soil. Sitting up, she looked over and saw the ugly sight of Devin. His skin was tight over his face giving the shape of his skull. Eyes that were hollow and sunken in his face showing his black eyes stood out against his sharp teeth that protruded from his mouth that were stained with old blood. Nothing was as ugly as this thing that she was forced to live with. She cringed at the sight of him as she always did when she first saw him when he awoke from his slumber.

She's been with this thing for seven years now. She couldn't escape him. She's tried a billion times but he always caught her and received the worst punishments that the thing could think of. They were always brutal and horrific. She had no desire to receive punishment. Living with this thing was punishment enough. But in the back of her mind, there was still fight left in her and she was going to use it tonight.

"Come to me, I'm thirsty." He ordered, extending his daggered finger nails to her. She stayed where she was. She wasn't going over to him willingly. She was going to put one last fight she had in mind. If it didn't work, than she was damned. She kept her thoughts distant from her mind so the vampire didn't have access to them.

"Come here," he snapped. She shook her head being silent. "You dare defy me?…" He growled. She kept silent, getting him angry. He wasn't pretty when he was angry, but for her plan to work he would have to get angry and so would she. But in the end, he wasn't very pretty either way.

"Answer me!" He growled again, stalking over to her. She shook her head again in response. "I thought I broke you. You should be listening to me, you little wench." He said in his deep gruff voice. She didn't respond to the comment but instead, it made pounding anger surge through her. The vampire stalked up to her and grabbed her by the neck and threw her up against the sharp cave wall. She felt the jagged rocks dig sharply into her skin of her face and body as she landed on the cave ground on her side. She tried getting up slowly but she was kicked sharply in her ribs sending her flying into the wall again. Wincing at the pain in her back, she leaned against the wall for support. She likely had broken ribs again in her back and her front body.

'_I hope I get out of this alive.'_ She thought with doubt. She knew she wasn't getting out of this alive but she was willing to try again, one last time. The vampire gripped a clump of her hair and jerked her head to the side sending jarring pains through her neck. She was lucky that he didn't snap her neck in half. A strip of her skin was exposed to the vampires eyes who was eyeing her neck like meat.

'_Just indulge yourself already.'_ She thought with frustration. She was blocking her thoughts from the vampire. She hoped she was blocking them good enough. In an instant, she felt sharp teeth dig into the meat and skin of her neck. She hissed in pain as she felt like her throat was being ripped apart.

'_Keep drinking, keep drinking.'_ She thought, keeping the vampire busy. She was going forward with her plan. She felt around the stone ground for her long-arrowed rock she had created when the vampire was in his slumber.

'_Found it.' _She thought with a bit of pride. By now, she was becoming weak with blood loss. She had to act quick. Clutching the long arrow in her hand, Brook raised her arm and stabbed the stake deep into the vampire's chest aiming for his black heart. The vampire hissed and threw her back into stone wall behind her. She looked to see if her aim was true, it was. The stake was more than halfway through the vampire's heart.

The vampire was struggling to stay standing. The thing should have been dead, but then again…it wasn't normal. He fell to his knee's clutching the stake, ripping it out.

"How dare you?" He slurred. He was in front of her in mere seconds. _'Oh, shit.'_ She thought with panic welling deep inside her stomach. She forgot the pain through her body for a moment. The vampire gripped his long daggered finger's around her thin neck lifting her from the ground. She weighed nothing more than a feather. She clamped her hands around that one wrist in hopes if loosening his hold. It didn't work. This was her one chance to kill him.

Salty tears were forming in at the corner's of eyes from lack of oxygen. Her neck was throbbing, and her whole body was aching.

'_Please god, let me live. I have nothing, but I have a little bit of will to live. I don't want to die.'_ Her thoughts were becoming desperate with survival. Studying the vampires horrid face, she conjured up thoughts of hatred, anger, and rage for the demon creating a heating sensation to the thing in front of her. In moments, the thing let go of her, dropping her, hissing at her in venom. She coughed trying to regain her breathing. Looking up, she saw the black fury in his eyes for her. She could compete with that.

She studied everything about the vampire in front of her in mere seconds. She let everything she felt for Devin go through her eyes, consuming her whole being and all her thoughts. She let it thrum through her whole being making her feel alive for one moment All the hate, anger, rage, fury, in one look that flames started beneath him rising up to his feet to his head screaming in agony. She cherished the screams he was creating from his gurgled throat. She was getting her revenge just from watching him go up in flames. The flames were consuming his whole being making him fall to his knee's then on his stomach as he finally turned to ash. After his screams died, she walked to the entrance of the cave.

'_I'm free.'_ She thought with some relief. She needed to get somewhere where she can heal her battered body. It was in the middle of the night and she didn't know where to go so she looked at her surroundings. She was somewhere in the woods. The tree's surrounded her and there was a path to her right that she started following.

'_I could probably find some destination.' _She hoped. So she began walking, and walking for miles. Brook didn't know where she was going, she just kept waling straight until she came across a road. Following the road for a few miles, a town appeared. There were a few gas stations, fast-food places, and grocery stores that lit up the night along with other buildings that were hazy around her. It looked deserted with the exception a few cars passing by. Nobody seemed to notice her. Her walk was becoming a drag. Her body was weak from all the brutality she has last received.

She saw a women exiting the entrance of a building across from a parking lot. She picked up her dragging pace. "Help me." Brook croaked in a whisper with desperation. She wasn't loud enough, the woman kept on walking. She made her way as fast as she could across the long parking lot before the woman made it to her car and leave her behind.

"Help me." She croaked again, louder this time. The woman still didn't hear.

"Help me!" She screamed, the agony clear in that scream. The woman looked up and finally saw her. Brook was a few feet from her and made the rest of the way with stumbles falling into her arms. The woman caught her with surprising strength.

_**Francesca:  
**_Francesca caught the girl with preternatural strength. "What happened?" She asked but the girl just fell limp, passing out. She could tell that she was badly bruised by the sight of her. Tilting her neck to the side, she saw a gaping wound on her throat as if something just teared into her like meat. Instantly, she could tell that it was a vampire.

'_Gabriel, I need you.'_ She sent the thought out to her lifemate along with everything that has happened the last few minutes.

'_I will be there.'_ He sent her his reassurance.

"It's ok honey, I'm here." She reassured the unconscious girl. Francesca sat down and laid the girls head down in her lap. She studied her. She had dark brown hair, the color of bark from a tree that went down past her waist. She was terribly thin with only a dirty pair of baggy pants and long sleeve shirt covering her body that had holes in them. Lifting her shirt a bit, she saw dark bruises marring her stomach disappearing onto her back. Before she could observe more of the girl, she heard Gabriel appear.

"A vampire got her but how did she get out alive?" Francesca asked with curiosity. "I don't know, we'll have to scan her mind and see all that she's been through but for now, we have to get her out of here." Gabriel answered in his usual calm tone.

"We better take her to our place. The hospital's closed." Francesca informed him. "I'll take her." Francesca added. With a nod of his head as he took his lifemates hand, both forming into mist with Francesca clutching the unconscious girl to her form. Once they arrived at their home, they laid the girl down on their couch, covering her up with one of Francesca's healing-patterned blankets.

"I can heal her, honey." She assured Gabriel. Trusting her confidence, he left the room leaving her with her patient.

"If you have need of me, tell me." He inquired to her, smiling. Francesca smiled back and nodded. Once he left, she turned to the battered girl. She smoothed the strands from the girls and saw blue-green bruises on her cheeks and around bother her eyes. Her lip was busted and swollen. Lifting up her shirt again, she studied the big brown bruises that looked old and new on her stomach that disappeared to her back.

Grabbing a chair from her kitchen, she sat down holding the girls fragile hand. She noticed that they were scarred. Taking a deep breath, she became pure light filled with goodness and sent herself into the girls body merging with her mind. The girl came to consciousness at the light that was going through her body. Francesca saw that her body was battered with broken ribs, torn muscle, and badly bruised tissue. She went to work healing the bruised tissue, strengthening her muscles, and knitting her broken bones together. Her neck took extra work to do. She healed the torn meat, knitted the arteries and veins together, putting the lost cells back into place, and then worked at healing her skin.

"Wake up." Francesca ordered the girl. At once she woke up to the sound of her soothing voice. She woke up but wasn't fully conscious. She felt a presence inside her mind. It was soothing, enthralling, and most of all…peaceful. She just wanted to stay where she was and feel it in her mind for the rest of her life.

"Who are you?" Brook asked, loving the feeling inside her mind. "Francesca." The warm voice replied.

"Are you an angel?" She asked.

"No. I'm no angel." Francesca answered. "But your different." Brook replied.

"Yes. I am. Wake up and come to life." Francesca tried to persuade the girl but she was hesitant.

"I don't want to go back out there." Her spirit hid inside the hole of her mind that she created for safety. Francesca furrowed her brows at the little piece of the puzzle of her mind. She instantly filled her mind with warmth. Brook came out from the hiding space in her mind, crawling to the light that she so desperately craved.

At once Francesca merged her mind with the girl's going over her memories. She saw a slide show of how her life has been. The happiness she had with her mother and father. The light inside her eyes, the way every child should have in their childhood. Now she saw how it was stolen from her in the blink of an eye. All because she was a child and was vulnerable. Now she saw how everything was stolen by the damned. From the age of seven, her life was changed. How the evil creature had used her roughly for his own pleasures. With every ounce of brutality she had received stole the life out of her, stealing her will to live, her will to go on. Her parents murder was the one thing that killed her, stealing her happiness. The most previous of memories shocked Francesca. She used her last ounce of strength to kill the foul creature with her own hatred that the vampire created inside her. Now it seemed that there was nothing inside the girl, like her soul had departed. There was still something inside her but was buried deep inside her mind. She was fourteen now and beaten.

She concentrated more on her mother. Her mother had named her Brooklyn, meaning water, stream. She could see why. Water was strong. It had the strength to break down strong barriers, steel, metal, even iron. It also had the power to create its own path. Her mother thought her strong. She was right. Whatever Brook had inside her, made her fight for her life. She had used her last ounce of strength to escape alive. Badly neaten, but still alive. She could tell that she was psychic by the connection she had with her.

"Brooklyn, come out and live." Francesca whispered inside her mind. She rubbed the back of her fragile, scarred hand in soothing circles.

"I can't." Brook replied, afraid. "It will come back."

"No it won't, you destroyed it. It will never come back for you again. I promise." She poured her reassurance onto the girl, giving her comfort. Brooklyn took the bait. She dwelled in her peace that Francesca gave her.

"You promise?" She asked, in a childish voice. "I promise. Wake up and come to life." She commanded softly. Francesca poured the will to live into the girl. Brooklyn didn't respond to her phrase, instead opened her eyes to look at her angel.

Brook looked at her comforting angel. She was beautiful, with blue-black hair falling around her Madonna-like face. She had big dark eyes that shined with kindness and light. She has never seen anything like that but her mother.

"Are you real?" Brook whispered, reaching out her scarred hand.

Francesca took the girls hand into her own. "Yes."

Brook smiled, than frowned. "What's going to happen to me?" Brook's voice sounded defeated. Her eyes were wide with tiredness.

"Don't worry about that. Just go to sleep, dream of peacefulness, no nightmares will come to you tonight. Just sleep and rest." Francesca used a 'push' in her voice.

"Don't leave me." Brook panicked, clutching at her only savior.

"I'll be right here. I promise." She rubbed circles on the back of her hand again, giving her reassurance that she was there.

"Promise." Brook said softly. "Promise." She pushed her mind to fall into a deep sleep. Instantly, the girl closed her eyes, a soft sigh coming from her lips.

Gabriel came into the living room behind Francesca. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders pulling her up from the chair. Francesca turned and looked up into his face.

"How's the girl?" He asked his lifemate. She laid her head on his mucular chest.

"She's fine for now. But she's going to be confused once she wakes up in the morning. I can't believe what she has been through." Francesca answered. She sighed, she was tired from her healing.

"I know, I was in your mind. I saw everything you saw." He assured her. "We can deal with this. We've dealt with it before. Skyler has been through the same thing." He added, caressing her hair.

"Skyler could probably use someone she could relate too." Francesca inquired. "Could we possibly adopt her?" She asked, looking up to her husband.

"Possibly. She wouldn't have anyone else to turn to. Plus she spent her last seven years with a vampire. She couldn't go back out into the world with that knowledge." Gabriel informed, gazing back at his lifemate.

"That's true. We couldn't remove her memories from her mind. Things would trigger the trauma she's been through. She couldn't survive it." She knew they were facts. She could never send her back out into the world alone. Not after everything that has happened to her.

"We could adopt her into our family. I think Skyler would love to have a little sister." He smiled, showing white perfect teeth. Francesca smiled back at him bringing her lips to his mouth.

"Good. We have another member in the family." Francesca said, finalizing the discussion.

"It's almost dawn. We have to get to sleep. Plus you need blood and nourishment. Your tired from healing." Gabriel said, taking her to their lair.

They went to their lair, nourished, then covered the earth over themselves shutting down their heart and lungs, sleeping in the way of their people.

**-End of Chapter-**

-This was a long chapter. The next one will probably be shorter. Please R&R. Your allowed to critisize. Thanks!-


	3. Chapter 3: Ashton

Brooklyn was dreaming. She didn't know what in particular, but she loved it. Nothing could ruin this for her. Well, unless she woke up, but that wouldn't be for a while.

Looking around, she saw vast open spaces of dark fields caused by the night. The full moon was silver and high above her with sparkles around it. Clouds were shimmering over, it giving it more beauty. She was awed by it, nothing was more beautiful than this right now.

Sniffing the air, she could smell the moist grass and the earlier rain. How could she smell that so strongly? She looked at her surroundings again. The dark fields led to nowhere in particular and their was nothing else surrounding her. Her head went down and she saw grey and white paws. Why were there grey and white paws? She tried to speak but it came as a low bark.

'_Am I a wolf?…'_ She thought with a bit of confusion.

'_Yes you are.' _An odd male voice replied to her left. She looked to the left and saw a large white wolf with blue eyes.

'_Who are you?'_ Brook asked looking at her visitor. She could tell that male next to her wasn't dangerous or else she would have sensed it.

'_Ashton.' _He answered.

'_Brooklyn.' _She offered her name without question. He seemed familiar to her in a weird way but she shrugged it off. '_What are you doing here?'_ There was nothing in the question except curiosity. What was this guy doing inside her head? She didn't like anyone in her mind except Francesca.

'_Just thought I could join you for a run.'_ Ashton replied in a deep calm tone. Her mind became quizzical at the answer so she searched his mind for any threats. She wasn't about to trust anyone just yet. Not after what she's been through, but all she found was a deep soothing calm. No threat whatsoever.

'_Alright, lets go.'_ She responded with a nod of her head ahead of her. He responded with a dash out leap in front of her.

They ran through the vast open fields in the night. There was no direction to anywhere. They were just content on running to nowhere with only the moon being their guide, shining down on them and running with them. Brook felt the freedom in her and nohting else. No fear, sadness, sorrow, or even her insanity she felt. The only thing she felt was freedom and piece. It was even better with her mysterious companion whom she didn't know. That should have frightened her, but it didn't. In an odd sense, he made her feel safe, along with the odd connection she felt with him. But again, she shrugged it off. It wasn't important right now.

All too soon, the dream was shattered by something. Whatever it was, she wanted to curse at it really bad but once she opened her eyes, she saw that it was a young looking girl around her age and was a little startled by her presence. She jumped up in a sitting position.

"Who are you?" Brook asked. The girl stared at her for a few seconds before answering.

Skyler studied her for a few moments. The girl looked startled and a bit scared at her presence giving the fact that girl didn't who she was. Gabriel and Francesca told her about the girl and what had happened to her. It surprised to her. She thought that she would never find anyone like her other than the Carpathian people. She wanted someone she could relate to, just not any males. Females she could deal with.

Francesca and Gabriel talked about adopting Brook. She didn't know how she felt about it so she decided to meet her. "Skyler. What's your name?" She answered. She already knew her name but asked anyway.

Brook observed Skyler. She didn't feel threatened by her presence, she looked her age or a little bit older. Probably fifteen or sixteen. She thought that Skyler was pretty with her long black her and big grey eyes that looked too old for her innocent face, she was a little bit taller than her. She could tell that she has seen a lot and been through a lot in her life.

"Brooklyn." She took the protective cover's off her lap to stand up and stretch her legs.

"Are you hungry?" She heard Skyler ask. As if on cue, her stomach growled in response. Skyler giggled, then said, "Come on, I'll fix you something." Brook followed smiling. She was liking Skyler, which was strange for her since she hasn't been around anyone for seven years.

"How do you know Francesca?" Brook asked, watching her poor a bowl of cereal.

"She's like my mother, along with her husband, Gabriel who is like my father." She answered. Furrowing her brows, she asked, "Who's Gabriel?"

"Francesca's husband." Skyler could feel that Brook didn't like the idea of being near a male. "Don't worry about him, he's a really good person." She assured the young girl.

"Really?" She said, happy for the assurance.

"Yeah, he's harmless." Skyler gave her the bowl of Fruity Pebbles for her to eat. "Here, eat this. It's my favorite type of cereal. It's really good." Brook sat down, scooting the bowl towards herself a bit.

"Thank you." Brook said softly, giving her a smile with just a quirk of her lips then began eating the food.

"So, how old are you?" Skyler asked, starting up a conversation. She didn't pay attention to the tattered clothes she was wearing.

"Fourteen. How old are you?"

"Sixteen." Skyler didn't talk to people this easily unless it was Joseph or one of Falcon's and Sara's children, she wanted Brook to get comfortable around her.

"What are Francesca and Gabriel like?" She asked taking another bite of her food.

"They are the best people you will ever know. They adopted me when I was your age. Francesca is a mother figure to me, and Gabriel is like father figure to me when I didn't have a good dad." Skyler answered her question in all honesty. Brook stopped eating for a second to reflect on her words. "They are really nice people, you will really like them alot." She added.

"You think so?" She was more than halfway done with her food. "Yes."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did they adopt you?" She asked with curiosity. Looking at the bruises on her face and neck, Skyler was a little hesitant to answer.

"Because my father abused me." She said shortly. "Did you know your mother?" Brook asked looking at her with big forest-green eyes. Skyler found her eyes a little odd since you didn't see that color normally in people's eyes but she also found them pretty. Her knotted dark brown hair went down to her waist. Her features reminded her of nature.

"Yes. I loved my mother. She was a beautiful person, inside and out. Do you know your parents?" Brook was finished with her cereal, she picked up the bowl to gulp down the milk to give her time to answer. She didn't want to talk about her parents, but she wanted to confide in someone, anyone that would understand and Skyler seemed like she would understand better than anyone.

"Yes. I had loving parents. The last time I saw them was when I was seven." She stopped at that point, it was too hard to talk about.

Skyler sensed that she didn't want to talk about her parents, being it too hard to think about so she left it at that. "Okay." She said. She offered her more food but the girl declined. She was really thin but she could see why she didn't want anymore food, if you've been starved you can take in so much at a time before you puke it up.

Changing the subject to a more pleasant one, Skyler asked, "You looked like you were have a good dream, what was it about?" Brook didn't know if she wanted to answer. Skyler sat down across the table from her.

"Oh, um, it was just a good dream, that's all." Brook answered with unsurity. Skyler knitted her brows together. She knew the dream wasn't anything sexual, just peaceful. She could understand why she didn't want to share her dream with anyone. It was her peace, no one else's.

"Okay, do you want to get a shower?" She asked, letting go of the earlier subject. Brook got a smile on her face like she offered her a nice big peace of chocolate.

"Yes I would, thank you very much." Getting up, Skyler lead her to the bathroom.

"Ok, wait here and I'll give you some of my clothes to wear. Some of them have grown to be too small for me." She went to her room and got out a pair of dark jeans, and a t-shirt along with a sports bra and underwear. She might find the sports bra better than an under-wire, or one that hooked in the back. She went back to the bathroom.

"Here you go, these should fit you. You were my height when I was younger." She said, giving a smile. Going to the bathroom cabinet she got out a towel and wash rag, then showed her how to work the knobs on the shower but Brook preferred to take a bath. She left her to take her bath.

"Thank you, Skyler." Brook said with appreciation. "Your welcome, Brook." With that, she left.

Brook worked the knobs to a comfortable temperature, and got in to the tub with a sigh of relief. Grabbing the shampoo that smelled like lavender, she scrubbed the years old dirt form her long hair in circular motions. Then grabbed the wash rag, dunked it in the tub, and squeezed the heavy water from it. She then, scrubbed the bar of soap from it. She scrubbed her body from head to toe but was careful with the bruises making sure she didn't add much pressure on them. After she was done with cleaning herself, she soaked in the tub a little longer. Getting out, she dried herself off with the soft cotton towel, then put on the clothes that Skyler got for her.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she walked down a hall that lead into the living room seeing Francesca, and Skyler whom she smiled at. She saw a male, where her smile stopped. He was a big guy with black hair, and dark eyes that looked black with sharp, hansom, angles to his face.

Francesca got up from the couch they were sitting on. "Skyler, this is Gabriel, my husband." Francesca introduced with a small smile. He didn't seem to pose a threat, and she couldn't feel any stench of evil coming off of him. Looking at him, his eyes held a kindness like Francesca's. If Francesca and Skyler like him, then she could too. They were smart people. But she was still a little shaky about the guy. For reassurance, she began to search his mind for any sign of threat. She knew that he was different like Francesca the moment she entered his mind. His mind was completely open to hers letting her search his mind.

He knew what she was doing, he was only allowing her to see what she wanted her to see. He wanted her to be comfortable around him so thats we he did. Just let her see into his mind a bit. She didn't find any sign that he was a threat.

_'Anything could be decieving.' _She thougth to herself.

"Hi." She attempted at talking to them.

"Feel better?" Skyler asked smiling.

"Yes, thank you." She answered. Skyler got up from the couch and walked over to Brook. "Come on, I'll show you my room." She hooked her arm through Brooks and lead her to her room.

**  
Francesca and Gabriel:**

"She seems pretty shaky around me." Gabriel observed after Skyler and Brook left.

"Yea, she does. But she'll get used to you. Plus you let her look into your mind." Francesca informed her lifemate. She snuggled up to him with him putting his arm around her.

"I know she will. I'll talk to her when I get the chance too." He sighed.

"Skyler likes her so that's a sign that we don't have a problem with adopting her." Francesca smiled and layed her head on his chest.

"That's good because Skyler doesn't talk to anyone except for me, you, and a few of the Carpathians. She does like Joseph though and a few of Sara and Falcons children." Gabriel explained.

Informing Gabriel, she said, "Yes, she does and she likes Brook. I think she likes the idea of having a little sister figure around. It's good for her." She got up from the couch and stretched.

"You better go to the hospital. You have alot of patients to cure." He said, smiling. "Ok then, try talking to Brook this evening if you can." She suggested before getting ready for the hospital.

Skyler went to the hospital with Francesca. She has always been fascinated at how she heals her patients, so she went with her. Plus she like helping out with the patients. Brook was still in Skylers room probably laying down. She would be really tired so he let her sleep for a few hours.

**  
Gabriel:**

With Gabriel's enhanced hearing, he heard the girl get up and start walking around Skyler's room. This would be his chance to talk to her, hopefully. He got up from the tan couch and went to Skyler's room, knocking on her door.

"Skyler, can I come in?" He asked, knocking on the door. He heard movements going on, she was sitting on the bed. "Yeah." She yelled. He opened the door, and saw the girl sitting on the Skyler's white bed.

"Hey." He said. The girl was twirling her fingers in nervousness with her head down. She looked up with her big, forest green-eyes peeking a look at him. "Hi." She replied, her voice low.

"Can I sit down?" He asked with a small smile to cut down her nervousness. "Sure. It's your house." She answered. She picked up the covers and set them on her lap for something to twirl her fingers in. She liked the feel of Skyler's blankets. They were soft and comfortable, they feel of them made her feel safe in a weird way.

Gabriel sat down beside her but gave her space so she didn't feel crowded. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked softly, getting straight to the topic. Looking up at him, she answered, playing with the cover in her scarred hands, "Not really." Her tone was low and she looked down again.

"You seem to be a little suspicious around me." He informed from his earlier observations.

"Yea, I am. But thats only because..." She paused, unsure if she should go on. "Go on. You can tell me." Gabriel prompted. Brook studied his face for a moment before continueing. "You remind of the thing that took me." She stopped, waiting for his reaction.

Gabriel was a little shocked at what she said. From what he read of Francesca, he could see why since most Carpathian males resemble each other in a way. He took her hand and said, "You don't ever have to worry about me hurting you, little one. I am incapable of doing that." He reassured her with his voice.

Brook believed what he said, and she didn't feel suspicious towards him. "Ok, I believe you." She said with a smile appearing on her pale face. She could tell that he meant it in his voice. She like the sound of his voice. It was...soothing. He smiled, showing white perfect teeth. He really had a charming smile and he used it shamelessly. He let go of her hand.

"Gabirel, can I ask you something?" She asked with a quizical look on her bruised face.

"Yes."

She shifted on the bed, turning towards him. "I've noticed when Francesca was somehow healing me, she was different and I can tell that your different too. How are is that possible?" Her face was quizzical while waiting for an answer. He would have to tell her how they were different sooner or later.

"We have gifts like some people do. Francesca can heal people and I can do the same. We can also read minds." Brook looked amazed at what he was telling her. "Do you have gifts like we do?" He asked softly.

Brook was debating whether or not she should tell him. "Yes, I can somehow start fire with my mind, and read people's mind. It's weird, and freaks me out." She answered.

Gabriel could tell that she was getting comfotable talking to him. "You don't have to be freaked out by who you are. Your gifts have probably helped you in someway." He assured her.

"Yeah, they have. In a way that I'm not proud of." She said with a tint of sadness.

"How?" He asked. She was silent for a moment before answering. "I don't know if you will believe me. Francesca already knows."

"You can tell me anything and I will believe you." he said taking her hand. "You know, another one of my gifts is seeing into other peoples minds." She looked up at his face shocked. "Really?" She asked, with a smile. He nodded.

"So if you want, you can show me." He offered. The girl became quiet. She knew that he wasn't threat to her in any way but she wasn't sure if she wanted someone inside her mind. But she was beginning to trust him. He sat their waiting for her to answer patiently. "Ok." She finally agreed.

"Give me your hands." He took both her hands and captured her gaze with his.

He startled Brook with his cheerful laughter in her mind. _"Hello, I can hear you."_ She laughed. _"I can hear you too."_ He responded with his same cheerful laughter. He searched through her mind seeing everything that Francesca saw. She had destroyed the vampire, and he respected her for her courage and bravery. She has been abused the same way that Skyler was. He let go of her mind and hands.

"You are very lucky to get away and destroy that vampire." He said. The way that she was looking down, she was waiting for him to condemn her. He caught her chin between his finger and thumb making her look at him and said, "You do not have to be ashamed of what you've done. You are very brave and courageous. Don't ever condemn yourself for doing what needed to be done." She smiled at what he said. Letting her go, she hugged him. This was a good time to talk about the adoption.

"What would think about living here with us?" He asked.

"You mean, you, Francesca, and Skyler?" She asked, shocked at his question. He nodded. She got the biggest smile on her face she could manage. "That would be a yes." He laughed.

They talked a few more minutes before leaving Brook. As he was walking out the door, Brook called his name. He looked back at her. "Thank you." She said with a soft smile before laying down on the bed with her back to him. He left the room.

She was beginning to heal, not much, but it's a start.

Francesca and Skyler came home a few hours later, around eleven. Skyler went to bed as soon as she walked in the door.

"How did everything go?" Francesca asked as soon as they were in their chamber.

"It went well, she's not suspicious of me anymore." Gabriel answered.

"That's good." She walked over into his arms.

"I talked to her about the adoption. She wants to live with us." Francesca smiled at the good news.

"We have another permanent member in our family."

"Yes we do, and we couldn't be happier." They buried themselves beneath the earth, nourished, with their arms surrounding each other.

**-End of chapter-**

**I think this chapter was longer than the last one. For that, I'm sorry. This chapter was meant to introduce Ashton. Anyways, Please R&R. Your allowed to critisize. Just tell me what you think.**


	4. Chapter 4: Shopping, Beginning Threat

The adoption took place a few days later. They signed a few papers for the court to make it permanent. Brook couldn't be happier with the way things were turning out.

"Are you guys really going to be my parents?" Brook asked with hope gleaming from her eyes.

"Yes, sweetie, we are." Francesca smiled and caressed her hair. They were leaving, on their way home. Brook and Skyler were going to be sharing a room. Skyler liked the idea of sharing a room with Brook, they were going to be sisters after all. Since she didn't much talk to people, it was good to have a new addition to the family.

"Why don't we go shopping tomorrow?" Skyler suggested with a cheerful tone in her voice.

"Sure." Brook replied. She looked over at Gabriel and Francesca.

'_A home, finally._'She thought. It was getting late, so Skyler and Brook went to bed when they got home.

Gabriel and Francesca were in their chambers.

"Brook seems happy to be with us and Skyler likes the idea of having a little sister-figure around. Plus they're going shopping tomorrow. It's good they're doing a little bonding." Francesca said, going into the arms of her lifemate.

Gabriel rapped his arms around her, bringing her into his muscular chest. "She is happy to be with us and Skyler couldn't be more happier to have her here. I'll leave some money out for them." Gabriel responded.

"Let's go to bed." She said. Gabriel opened up the ground with a wave of his hand and they both floated to the welcoming earth, nourished, and sleeping in the way of their people.

**Dream**:  
Brook was dreaming again, peacefully.

"_Your hear again?…"_ She laughed. The white wolf walked closer to her. _'Yes.'_ he answered, it sounded like he had a smile in his voice.

"_What are you doing here?"_ She asked with curiosity. Was this wolf real? This was the second time he's been in her dreams.

"_Want to go for another run?" _He asked. _"Sure,"_ She answered. Before she knew it, she was a wolf. She smiled to herself, she liked having dreams like this.

They both began to run. There was snow falling around them, decorating their fur. Snowflakes blended in with Ashton's fur.

"_What color is my fur?"_ She asked out of the blue. Ashton looked over, his gaze studying her. They were both running through snow field, not even out of breath. It seemed you could run forever in your dreams.

"_You are beautiful. Grey and white with light eyes." _He answered. No one's ever call her beautiful. But this was a dream and anything could happen in dreams.

Still running through white field, they slowed to a stop.

"_Lets lay."_ Ashton suggested. Agreeing, Brook laid down on the cool snow. The cold didn't bother her in her dreams, she noticed. Ashton laid down beside her with Brook laying her head on his furry stomach. They both cuddled in the snow, falling asleep.

This was, indeed, a peaceful dream. But only a dream, not reality.

"_Things could become reality, Cara."_ He whispered in her mind. Before she could respond someone was shaking her out of her dream.

Groaning, she rolled over and cracked open her eyes. "Good morning, Skyler."

"Good morning." She responded, smiling. "Ready to go shopping?" Skyler added. Brook smiled, she was really looking forward to that. She nodded than getting up and dressing when Skyler left the room. Coming out of their room, Brook saw Skyler sitting in one of the kitchen chairs waiting. Picking up the money Gabriel left for them, she said, "Lets go."

They both walked to the mall. It was only a short distance from their home.

"What kind of clothes do you like?" Skyler asked.

"I don't know, I really know nothing of fashion." Brook replied.

"Well, lets see what they have and see if you like anything." Skyler suggested. With that, they went from store to store buying a few pairs of denim jeans, t-shirts, button-down shirts, and undergarments. Now, they were sitting down eating Chinese food.

"Do you like the food?" Skyler asked.

"Yes, I do." Since she's never had chinese food, she found it really delicious.

"We should get going. It's already four O' clock." Skyler informed. Agreeing, Brook replied, "Okay." Once they were finished with their food, they got and began walking towards the doors.

From a distance away, there was someone watching.

**  
Threat**:  
"_That's her."_ The vampire whispered in his mind, 'seeing' through his eyes. _"Go talk to her."_ He ordered. Listening, he got up from leaning against the wall and stalked towards the two girls.

"_What about the other girl?"_ He asked.

"_Don't worry about her."_ The vampire answered. _"Okay."_

Walking towards the exiting girls, he caught up with them.

"Brooklyn?" He said, recognizing her. Brook turned at the sound of her name along with the other girl. "Huh? Who are you?" She asked in confusion.

He smiled, saying, "Don't you remember me? I used to be your next door neighbor, Tyler."

She got a quizzical look on her face as if she were trying to remember. "Tyler…." She muttered in recognition. "I remember now, how did you recognize me?" She asked.

"I just did." He answered wtih a smirk.

"We better get going." The dark-haired girl told Brook, nudging her along.

"Wait, can we hang out sometime, you know…catch up a little?" He asked. Brook looked to Skyler looking confused a little. He could tell that she didn't want Brook anywhere near him.

"Err…" She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I'm not really sure, Tyler."

"Alright. Well, let me give you my number and call me up sometime." Tyler offered. He pulled a pen and a small piece of paper writing down his number then giving it to her.

"Thanks." She said, taking the paper. "Well, I'll see you around." She waved, walking away.

"Bye." Tyler walked away after that.

"_You think it worked?"_ He asked the vampire.

"_Of course, she wants to see you but she's staying with the Carpathians." _He observed.

"_How are we going to get around that? They're evil." _He asked with frustration.

"_Don't worry, we will. We have time."_ The vampire said with patience in his soothing tone.

"_Are you sure?" _Tyler asked.

"_Yes, more than ever. We just need to get close to the girl, than you can get your revenge."_ He reassured the gullible boy.

"_Alright."_ He finished the conversation.

Skyler and Brooklyn began walking home holding their bags. Skyler got a few things for herself also, similar to what Brook has.

"Who was he?" Skyler asked walking out the doors.

"He was my childhood friend, and my next door neighbor." Brook answered nonchalantly.

"Oh."

"Why?" Brooklyn asked curiously. Skyler hesitated before answering, then said carefully, "There was something about him that….wasn't right."

With her brows furrowed, Brook asked, "Like what?"

Sighing, she answered, "I don't know, just be careful around him Brook." Taking Skyler's advice, Brook agreed. They walked silently to the house on the way back.

When they were in their room, they started to hang the clothes in the closet, silently. Brook's thoughts were jumbled. What did Skyler sense from him that 'wasn't right'? What was it? She didn't sense much of anything from him, for the fact that she was all to shocked to see her childhood friend. But now that she thought of it, there was something off about him. But what?….

"Skyler?" Brook called hanging the last of her shirts.

"Yes?" Skyler was sitting on her bed, looking to be lost in thought.

"What exactly did you 'sense' from Tyler? I recognized to that their was something off about him. But what did you sense exactly?"

"Well," she paused, thinking of a way to explain her answer. "There was just something tainted about him. That's all I can say." She finished, not wanting to explain more. She would have to talk to Gabriel and Francesca more about it when she got the chance. For now, they needed to stay off the topic. Brook looked like she wanted to know more but said, "Ok," and left it at that.

"I'll be right back." Skyler said getting up. "Ok, I'll be in here." Brook half joked. Skyler smiled in reaction, leaving.

Skyler saw Gabriel and Francesca sitting on the couch.

"Hey, how was the shopping trip?" Francesca greeted.

"It was good. We bought a lot of stuff, from jeans to sweaters. We had some Chinese food after." Skyler answered.

"That's good. Where's Brook?" Gabriel asked.

"She's in our room." She gestured with her hand. "But I have to talk to you guys about something."

They furrowed their brows asking, "What is it?"

Sitting down, she began to answer. "On our way walking out of the mall, this kid around my age age or a little bit older maybe, Tyler, stopped us and said that he recognized Brook. At first she didn't recognize him but then she did. He asked if they could hang out sometime but I said that we had to be going so he just gave her his number." She paused for a moment. "On our way out, I asked who he was and she replied saying that he was her childhood friend. She asked why I asked that. At first I wasn't going to say anything but I did anyways."

"What was wrong with him?" Gabriel asked, brows furrowed.

"There was something unclean about him….like he was tainted by something evil. I don't think Skyler noticed anything. But I thought that you guys might want to know."

"It's good that you told us, thank you Skyler."

"No problem. Brook might call him. We should meet him." Skyler suggested.

"When she calls, we will have her invite him over and see if he's a threat to her and us." Gabriel said.

**This chapter ended up being shorter than the other ones. Nothing much happened in this chapter but I promise there will be in the next few chapters. :D But I won't put up more unless I get some reviews. :D**

**See Ya! Please R&R.**


	5. Chapter 5: Plan Set In Motion

_"What if she doesn't call?"_ Tyler asked impatiently. Its been a about 4 weeks since he gave her his number, and he's been waiting patiently. He hasn't even seen her since that time. His patience was running out.

"_She will, you just have to be patient."_ He replied in his cool, smooth voice.

"_You've had time to gain your patience, I haven't."_ Tyler retorted, an edge to his tone. The mysterious man just laughed.

"_This call will put everything into motion, if she doesn't call than everything is ruined." _He was getting frustrated with time. Patience was something he never had.

"_She will call, trust me."_ Was his only reply. Tyler sat in his chair for a few more moments when the phone rang. Praying that it was Brooklyn, he answered.

"Hello?" He greeted.

"Hi, is Tyler there?" The female voice asked with hesitance. Tyler smiled with accomplishment. It was her, and he was happy. The plan would be set into motion very soon.

"This is Tyler. What's up?"

"Um, just decided to call." Her voice sounded nervous.

"Well, it's good to hear from you. I thought you wouldn't be calling." Tyler joked. He heard the phone shift on the other end.

"I ended up calling. Anyways, I was just wondering if you wanted to come over for a bit." Tyler was stunned. He didn't want to go over and meet those evil creatures but he did want to spend some time with her.

"_What do I do?" _He asked the mysterious man.

"_What do you want to do?" _The voice replied calmly.

"_I don't want to meet those evil creatures" _He answered with frustration, gripping the phone tighter.

"Tyler?" He heard Brook call.

"_The solution isn't that hard to figure out, just ask her to do something else."_ The male voice suggested.

"_Fine, but if it doesn't work, than what do I do?"_

"_Figure something out."_ Tyler growled at the response.

"Tyler, are you there?" Brook raised her voice a little bit to get his attention.

Coming back from his mental conversation, he replied with, "Uh, yea, I'm here. Umm…do you want to get something to eat instead? I can pick you up and I'll buy."

"_This better work…" _Tyler thought.

"Sure that would be great. You can meet my family then." Brook replied sounding like she had a smile in her voice.

There just wasn't a way to get out of meeting those creatures. "Ok, sounds great. I'll see you in a while then." He said with fake happiness.

"Bye, see you in a bit." She signed off.

Brooklyn got off the phone with a smile on her face turning to Skyler. It's been a month since she came to live with Gabriel, Francesca, and Skyler. Things were going great. She was gaining weight, her bruises were gone, no trace of her being mistreated. Her and Skyler were getting along well. They were becoming best friends and been hanging out a lot. She was getting along with Fancesca and Gabriel. They were like her parents, which they basically were. She couldn't wish for anything more. Nothing could destroy the happy life she was living.

"How did the phone call go?" Skyler asked.

"Good, he wants to take me out to eat today. He'll be by in a bit." Brook replied with a smile on her face, happiness shining through.

"What happened to him coming over for a while?" Skyler asked with confusion, her shapely brows furrowed.

"I guess he didn't want to, which is ok. He's still meeting you guys anyway." Brook answered thoughtfully. She shrugged giving a sign that she couldn't come up with a better reason.

"Want to help me pick out my outfit?" Brook smiled. Skyler had better fashion sense than she did. Skyler smiled, getting up from her bed, then replied, "Sure, lets see what you have."

They went through all of Brooks clothes and ended up picking out a pair of jeans and a casual blue button down top.

"You look great." Skyler commented. Both of them were standing in front of the tall mirror. "Thanks." Brook smiled, appreciating the comment.

"Let's go wait in the living room for him." Skyler suggested, pulling her out of their room. Francesca and Gabriel were in the living room, sitting with Francesca cuddled in Gabriel's form.

"Wait, Skyler…" She said, reaching for her arm before they left their room.

"Yes?" She questioned.

"Do you think that...you could go with me?" She asked, not announcing her hidden fears. Skyler smiled and said, "Yes."

"Thank you, lets get to the living room."

"Tyler is picking me up in a bit. We're going out to eat." Brook said. Gabriel's posture looked like he didn't like the news.

"What happened to him coming over here for a bit?" Francesca asked.

"I don't know. He said that he wanted to go out to eat instead of coming over here. But I said that he has to meet you guys first." Brook said, giving the same reply she gave Skyler.

"Alright, maybe Skyler can go with you guys out to eat. She can bring Joseph." Gabriel suggested, intent on her not going anywhere alone with Tyler.

"She already asked me to go." Skyler implied.

"You can bring Joseph with you." Gabriel said, making it an order. Skyler sighed at the order but agreed. She didn't really want to bring anyone with her.

"That sounds good." Brook said. Skyler went to change into something more presentable. They called Joseph up and had him come over. He was more than happy to go with Skyler. Joseph arrived a few minutes later. He was dressed in his usual attire. His piercings were in and like all Carpathians, he had dark features that were physically perfect.

"What's up?" He said, approaching Skyler.

"We're going out to eat so we invited you along." Skyler replied with a smile. Joseph pulled Skyler away from human hearing.

"Skyler, you know that I can't eat human food." He corrected of her, even though there was no need too.

"I know, but Brook might be in danger and my dad wanted me to go with her on the," she held up her fingers in quotation marks. " 'date' and so I called you." Skyler explained. Joseph pondered her explanation for a bit before agreeing.

He shrugged his shoulders saying, "Okay." They walked back over to where Brook and their family was sitting. A few minutes later the bell rang.

"That must be Tyler." Brook said with an excited smile on her face. She ran over to the door and answered it.

Tyler rang the door bell trying to keep his frustration down.

"_I can't believe that I'm meeting these Carpathian people. I won't be able to stand their presence." _Tyler thought with disgust.

"_You will have to until you get out of the house." _The mysterious man replied.

"_I know." _He retorted while waiting for the answer of the door.

The door answered before he raised his hand to for the buzzard again. "Hello." He said, putting his arm down. A smile appeared on Brooks face. The fact that she smiled at his presence was good for him. That means, he could get close and do what needed to be done.

"Hi." She breathed. She moved out of the doorway for him to enter into her home. He stepped in then looked at the decorating of the house. "You have a nice place." He commented.

"Thanks, let's go meet the family." Brook said, walking in front of him. He gave a fake smile and said, "Ok." He walked behind her into the living room where he sensed them.

He saw them. The damned ones. The ones who were killers. He buried those thoughts incase they could read his mind and kept his best fake smile in his face. Brooklyn smiled when she saw her parents.

"This is Gabriel." She said, introducing him. Tyler looked at him and shivered inside. This man was huge. It would take five of Tyler to reach the height of Gabriel. Power clung to him like a second skin, and he was tall that he had to crane his neck to look at him completely. Like all Carpathians, he had dark, perfect features.

"_Damn, this guy is big…and scary."_ Tyler thought to himself. Keeping his fake smile on his face, he held out his hand which Gabriel took with a smile of his own, that of a predators that sent shivers down his spine.

"Hi, your taking my daughter out." Gabriel said in his perfect tone.

"Y-Yes sir." Tyler said, risking a look into his eyes. What a mistake that was. You could fall into his eyes and never get back up. They were like an endless black fall. He couldn't away look if he wanted too.

"_Don't look into his eyes!"_ The voice snapped in his mind. At once, he jerked his eyes away from Gabriel's face.

"Did she tell you that Skyler and Joseph will be accompanying you?" Gabriel asked in a polite tone.

"No she didn't, sir." Tyler responded, looking at Brook. "I hope you don't mind." Brook said in a apologetic tone.

"No I don't mind, they are welcomed to come." Tyler reassured her.

"Good, this is Francesca." She introduced her with a gesture of her hand. Tyler was struck by her perfect beauty. Her silk black hair falling down her back, and enormous dark eyes that went along with her other striking features.

"Hi." He greeted, holding out his hand. She accepted the shake with a smile on her face and responded, "Hello, Tyler." He liked the way his name sounded when she spoke it with her entrancing voice.

"_Don't fall for her beauty, she's one of them." _The male voice interrupted. He instantly broke the hold of their hands and stepped back. Being in their presence was making his skin crawl and he didn't know how much longer he could keep his smile on. He desperately wanted to get Brook and himself out of their. This was her knew family and she was blind by their appearance. She was under their power and she didn't even know it. He would have to save her; but if he ever came head to head with Gabriel, he would definitely lose.

Brook introduced Skyler and Joseph and he wasn't too happy at the fact that Joseph was one of them. But he could at least tolerate the young Carpathian for at least tonight.

"Well, we better get going." He said looking to Brook.

"Yeah, we better go. Come on Skyler and Joseph." She announced. They said goodbye before walking out the door.

"So where are we going?" Brook asked with a bit of excitement in her voice.

"Panara's." Tyler answered with a smirk. They walked to Panara's.

Brook enjoyed the walk and was happy for Joseph's and Skyler's company. They talked about their interests and other things. Skyler and Joseph chatted about random stuff that Brook heard. Some of them were funny and odd. But from what Skyler explained of Joseph, he was a pretty funny guy. He was growing on her.

"Here we are." Tyler announced.

"Good, cause I'm starving." Joseph said, rubbing his stomach with a goofy smile on his face. Brook and Skyler laughed. "Let's go." They both said in unison. They went in and ordered their food, then went to pick a table to wait for their food to be called.

They took separate tables that were a distance away from each other but Skyler could still keep an eye on them.

"_What do we do about Joseph? He's one of them." _Tyler asked in his head to the mysterious man.

"_I'll do something so that he only thinks that you guys are having a friendly conversation by putting up an illusion." _The mysterious voice suggested.

"_Sounds good to me."_ Tyler replied. He never heard a response from his mysterious voice.

"So how long have you been living with your new family?" Tyler asked.

"Just for a month." Brook replied simply.

"What happened to your parents?" Tyler asked with fake curiosity. He knew what happened to her parents.

"Died in a car crash a couple of weeks ago. I was the only one alive." She responded, putting an end to the topic.

"Wow, you were lucky to get out alive." He commented.

"Yes." She said with a sharp tone.

Skyler looked over at Brook and Joseph. They looked to be having a friendly conversation. Brook was laughing at whatever Tyler said while he was holding her hand. They seemed to be very friendly. They were probably catching up on old stuff.

"Sorry. We don't have to talk about that if you don't want to." Tyler apologized.

Brooklyn sighed, saying, "It's ok. I'm still going through the grieving stage." She wanted to change to another topic. "So, how old are you now? The last time I saw you, you were ten." She asked.

"I'm eighteen and going into my last year of high school." He answered.

"I bet your happy. One more year and your out." She joked.

"Yes, I am very happy." He responded. He got a thoughtful look on his face. "What?" She asked, her voice curious.

"Nothing."

"What is it?" She coaxed. Their food was called, Tyler got up and went to get his and Brooks food. He came back and set their food down.

"So, what were you thinking?" Brook asked, looking down at her chicken salad.

"Umm, I don't know if you would believe me or…think I was crazy." He said with a bit of hesitation.

"Well, you wouldn't know if you tell me." She encouraged with a smile.

"Well ok. Do you believe in supernatural stuff?" He looked her straight in the eye while asking. This was a complete change of topic. She didn't know how to answer and she definitely did not want to answer. She's been stuck with the most evil being on this earth. She could lie but she didn't want to.

"Why?" She asked instantly, her eyes going wide.

"I'm trying to prove something." He answered calmly.

"What's that have to do with supernatural?" She wanted to know. He didn't answer for a few minutes.

"I'm trying to prove that supernatural beings exist, such as vampires." He answered with the same calm tone.

"Why would you want to prove something so evil like that?" She asked, her voice raising a bit.

He shrugged his shoulders, saying, "Why wouldn't I? I'm curious about stuff like that. Plus so many other people wonder about what's beyond them and their understanding."

"Yes but people don't like what they don't understand." She was getting aggravated at him and this ridiculous topic.

"True, but why not cure that part of them?"

"Why of all things would you want to prove this type of evil? It's ridiculous." She asked, her curiosity upped.

He leaned over the table a bit, then asked, "Why would you be calling these beings evil?"

"_Keep coaxing her, if you do, you'll be able to get her to admit something." _The mysterious voice suggested.

"Because they are." She almost yelled.

"How would you know?" He asked. She paused, not answering.

"I don't." Her voice low.

"You sound like you do. Something must have happened for you to be calling these supernatural beings evil." He observed.

"Let's just stop talking about this. It's ridiculous." She said, beginning to eat her salad.

"What happened?" He asked, ignoring her statement.

"Something that I don't want to talk about." She retorted, not looking up at him. "Ok, then." He let it go at that.

They finished eating in silence. Joseph and Skyler got up and went over to their table after they were done eating.

"We're done." Skyler said, approaching them. "We are too, let's go." Brooklyn said getting up and walking past them. Skyler looked over at Tyler, asking, "What happened?"

"Nothing really. She didn't like the food much." Tyler lied.

"Wow, she gets mad easily." Joseph commented.

"Yeah, let's head home." Skyler said, catching up to Brooklyn.

They arrived home soon. Tyler went home and so did Joseph. Skyler sat down beside Brook observing her face. She didn't look to happy and something was bothering her. She could feel it coming off of her in waves. She was aggravated and sad.

"What's wrong Brook?" Skyler asked, her voice concerned.

"Nothing." She answered hiding her face.

"Something must be if your feeling sad and aggravated." She said, pulling her hair behind her ear.

"How do you-never mind. You're an empath. I forgot about that." She said remembering Skyler's talent.

"Yep. So what's wrong?"

Brook sighed, giving up the fact that she couldn't hide much from her new sister. "It's Tyler." Brook began. Skyler furrowed her brows, listening. "He wants to prove something really stupid."

"What?" She asked.

"He wants to prove that vampires exist. I got angry at that and he must have figured out that I know that they exist because I kept referring them as evil." Skylers eyes got wide at the news.

"Why would he want to prove something like that?"

"I don't know. But he knows that I know something." Brook told Skyler.

"You can never tell him what happened to you."

"I won't." Brook promised.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"What exactly are Francesca and Gabriel?" Brook asked.

Skyler hesitated for a minute before answering. "I can't tell you that. They will tell you when they think you are ready to hear the truth. But I will tell this…" Brook furrowed her brows. "They are really good people."

Brook smiled, saying, "I already know that."

* * *

Tyler was sitting in his recliner thinking. 

_"What did we accomplish tonight?"_ He asked his mysterious companion. _"Absolutely nothing."_ He answered his own question with frustration.

_"Calm down. We accomplished something tonight. It might not be a lot but we found out new information."_ He answered, in his usual smooth, calm voice,

_"What's that?"_ He asked.

_"Brooklyn is very angry. When one is angry, they don't think very rationally." _He said from his earlier observations.

_"Yeah, I knew that." _He said.

_"All we have to do is get her in an angry stated, then use her emotions to convince her on our side. She is an easily swayed girl."_ The voice implied.

_"Yes, she must be if she's fooled by those Carpathians." _Tyler thought with gloom.

_"The plan is set. Just apologize for your earlier actions and ask her on another date."_ The voice said.

_"Alright, fine."_ He picked up the phone and looked through his caller ID for Brooks number. He dialed it and waited for the phone to answer.

"Hello?" A voice greeted.

"Is Brook there?" Tyler asked politely.

"This is her." The voice lowered to an angry one.

"Brook, I'm sorry for my earlier actions." Tyler apologized.

"Yeah, so am I." She retorted.

"Let me make it up to you. How about dinner next friday night?" He suggested. Brooklyn didn't answer for a bit. She was probably weighing her answers.

"Alright, then." She agreed but he could hear a smile in her voice.

"Good, next friday it is." He said making it final. They both signed off after that.

_"Good, now we have make her come to our side by that time."_ The ordered.

_"I don't know if I can make it that soon but I'll try." _He said with uncertainty. He never heard from the voice after that.

**  
NOTE: This chapter was long and nothing really happened in it, it took me forever to finish it. But the next chapter will have some action it. Please R&R. I would like some comments and criticism is allowed.**


	6. Chapter 6: Tyler Seeing Reality

Gabriel and Francesca let Brook go on the date alone with Tyler. Though she figured someone would be there following her. She didn't mind. It was nice to have people that were protective of her. She waited for Tyler outside on the front step. It was a nice summer evening. The sun was setting, but still gave rays of warmth to her along with a nice breeze across her face.

"Hey." Brook snapped her head at the voice. She smiled when she saw that it was Tyler holding some kind of picnic basket.

"Hi." She greeted, smiling sweetly. She walked down the one step to him.

"So where are we going to eat?" She asked, smiling.

"We're not going to a restaurant." He responded. Brook's eyebrows furrowed.

"We're not?" She asked, confused.

"Nope." He held out a basket, then said, "I figured it would be a beautiful sunset so I packed a basket of food and we could just sit, talk, and watch the sunset." He smiled.

"But we could go to a restaurant if you-" He started adding quickly but Brook cut him off saying, "No this is really sweet." He smiled, grabbed her hand and began walking.

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

"To the park." He answered, walking her in that direction. Brook looked behind her and smiled, knowing that Skyler and Joseph were following.

**Skyler and Joseph**:  
"Where are they going?" Jospeh asked Skyler, following them.

"To the park, didn't you hear?" Skyler retorted.

"Why would she let herself be alone with him?" Joseph asked mildly.

"Because she knows that we're behind them or else she wouldn't even be doing this. She would only do this if someone was close by." Skyler explained.

"I guess she trusts us then." Joseph guessed. "Duhh." Skyler said sarcastically, and rolling her eyes.

_'Are you guys following them?' _Gabriel asked them both.

'_Yes.'_ Skyler answered.

_'Be careful.'_ Francesca sent them both her concern. They both replied, _'Ok.'_

Gabriel was having them follow Brook for her protection and to find out anything fishy on this guy. But it was more for all of their protection if he was a threat to their species and to their family.

**Brook**:  
"Are we almost there yet?" Brook asked, laughing a bit.

"Yep, we're here now." Tyler said, sitting in the grass. Brook sat down beside him and observed him. He was a good looking guy. He had dark hair that looked black but had some red highlights showing that his hair color was a dark, dark brown. He looked back at her with light blue eyes that were surrounded by dark, thick lashes. He had perfect shapely brows for a guy along with a perfect straight nose and high cheek bones that complemented his eyes. His lips were perfect also. They weren't to full or to thin and were wide. He was a good-looking guy.

"What are you staring at?" He asked, smiling.

"Nothing I was just observing you, that's all." She answered, hoping that she didn't sound weird.

"Observing me?" He chuckled. He wasn't making fun of her but just found it funny.

"Yes, I know that sounds weird but I do it all the time. I observe people, don't know why." She informed him. "See what you like?" he smiled.

"Yes I did, you're a very good looking guy." She concluded. "Well, thank you." He got out the food in the basket. He packed, two turkey sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and juice.

"I hope you like turkey." He said, handing her the sandwich. "Love it." She chirped, taking it and biteing into it. It was good, turkey was her favorite meat.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked.

"Sure, go ahead." He said, chewing.

"What happened to your parents? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." She assured him.

"They were murdered." He answered simply.

"I'm sorry." She said sympathetically. She put her hand over his, showing her sympathy.

"It's ok, I'm going to get the guy that killed them." He said, anger filling his tone.

"Aren't the police doing something about it?" She asked.

"No, they closed the case after a year." He informed her.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Her voice was low.

"Let's finish eating." He changed the subject. She agreed and began finishing her sandwich. They finished eating and were just laying in the grass looking up the sky.

**Joseph and Skyler**:  
"Anything happen yet?" Skyler asked.

"Nope, they're just laying in the grass." Joseph answered.

"This guy hasn't revealed a damn thing about himself. Can't you somehow get into his mind?" Skyler asked with frustration.

"No, I've tried that. His mind is unusually strong. Like something is blocking me from his mind." Joseph answered quizzically.

"That's something then. It means that there is definitely something fishy about him." Skyler said defiantly.

"Maybe." Joseph said in thought.

"He could be a psychic though." Skyler observed.

"I don't think so, psychics have strong barriers but this guys mind is locked. Carpathians should be able to get into his mind but I can't. My training level isn't high enough but I should be able to get inside a mortals mind. Gabriel probably could though." Joseph explained thoughtfully.

"Hmmm, we should definitely get Gabriel than."

"You're an empath. Can't you get anything from him?" Joseph asked.

"No, I have to touch him and I don't want to do that with the creepy vibe I get from him." Skyler explained.

"Looks like we can't do anything right now. So let's just listen for any information." Joseph said.

"Ok." Skyler agreed.

**Brook and Tyler**:  
"Brook, I have to confess something." Tyler said out of the blue. Brook got from her spot in a sitting position.

"Yeah?" She said, curious.

"I know that your parents didn't die in car crash." He confessed, still looking up at the sky.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, the first signs of anger showing.

"They died the way mine did, murdered." He answered, looking over at her.

"How do you know that?" Her eyes were turning a different shade of color.

"I read in the newspaper that two bodies were found near a cave. They looked like a vicious animal got to them. But I knew something else got to them. Plus it was around the sametime you disappeared." He explained.

"And what's that?" She asked, voice low.

"A _nosferatu._"

"_Nosferatu_?" She questioned. "Another word for vampire." He elaborated for her.

"Plus I figured it out from the last time we met." He said simply.

"Do you really want the world to know that they exist?" She asked, furious.

"No, that was just to see your reaction." He answered honestly.

"Great, so all of this is fake?" She asked, gesturing to the setting of their date.

"No, I really do like you." He said, smiling genuinely.

"Why did you want to know my reaction?" She asked going back to the topic.

**Joseph and Skyler**:  
"I think we're getting something." Skyler said, getting Joseph's attention. He looked bored next to her, dazing off into space. He shook his head, averting his attention to Brook and Tyler.

"What did he say?" He asked Skyler.

"He just admitted that his parents were killed by vampires." Skyler informed.

"Good." He said.

"Now pay attention. You're the one that has to transfer all this to Gabriel. He wouldn't like it if you missed something." Skyler said.

"I know, I know." He said, annoyed.

**Brook and Tyler**:  
Tyler hesitated, debating whether too answer her or not.

"_Should I answer her?" _He asked the voice inside his head.

_"Yes, you have to if you want her on our side."_ The voice answered.

"_This better work."_ He said.

"_It will."_

"Tyler?" She questioned.

"Because, I'm in an organization of people that kills vampires. Anyone that has been a victim of them are in it. I want you to join." He said flatly.

Brook couldn't answer him. She was too shocked at his answer to fully comprehend him.

"How have you been a victim beside the fact that one of them killed your parents?" She asked, her voice raised a bit.

"I still have to kill it." He answered. "And until I do, I'm in." He added, gazing at her.

"I don't need to go in because the thing that killed my parents are dead." She explained to him.

"How did it die?" He asked.

"I killed it when I escaped." She answered, looking him in the eyes.

"How?"

"I set it on fire." Her tone didn't really hold that much emotion when she explained it too him.

"How did you find it?" He asked with curiosity.

"I didn't find it. I lived with that thing for seven years of my life." She explained. They were both sitting on a blanket while having this discussion.

"Then you are perfect for the organization." He said.

"No, I'm not. I don't want to go around killing things and putting my life in danger. I will be putting my family in danger also, and that's the last thing I want." Emotion was coming into her voice now, anger.

"I'm not proud of what I've done. I did what I did too survive. I never want to go through that again." Tears were forming in her eyes. Her hands were over her face, and her shoulders were starting to shutter. Tyler closed his arms around her but she pushed him away.

"How long have been in that organization?" She asked with her bright green eyes. They were like that when she was angry.

"Three years." He answered honestly.

"So you've killed some of them." She said.

"Yes, I have. They deserve to die." He said with conviction.

"I know they do but I won't join you." She said, making it final.

"Why?"

"Because that is not a rode that I want to go down. I still have my life ahead of me and I want to make it into something good after all that I've been through." She answered, her voice becoming harsh.

"You should do the same." She added. He just shook his head and said, "Not until I get my revenge." They were silent for a moment.

"What do you think your living with, Brook?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She yelled.

**Skyler and Joseph**:  
"We should intervene." Skyler said moving from her spot. Joseph put a hand on her arm, keeping her in place.

"No, we have to wait." Joseph said. Skyler looked at him than agreed.

**Brook and Tyler**:  
"Ask them when you get home what they are." Tyler said.

"Why?" She asked sharply.

"Just do it." He answered. "Then if you want too, come to my apartment." He added, giving her his address and apartment number. Brook looked at him for a moment but didn't say anything.

"Can we finish our date on a good note?" He asked with a tint of sadness. Brook observed him for a moment before answering, then smiled.

"Yes." She laid down beside him, looking up at the sky.

"Can I put my arm around you?" He asked.

"Sure." She answered. She scooted over to him than laid her head on his muscular chest while he put his arm around her.

"The night's beautiful." He said, his voice now low and thoughtful.

"Yes, it is." She agreed with a soft smile. They both laid there for a few hours, looking at the sky. They both found it peaceful.

"I better be getting home, I have to be home by 10." She said.

"Alright." They got up and packed the remains of their picnic in the basket, then began walking home.

Once they got to the corner of her house under a light post, Tyler stopped and looked at her.

"Is something wrong?" Brook asked, stopping.

"No, it's perfect." He answered with a smile looking down at her. Brook felt heat going to up to her neck then reaching her cheeks. She really hated having pale skin. It made the blush to visible.

He chuckled saying, "You look so cute when you blush." She blushed even more a the comment, covering her face.

Tyler grabbed her hands, pulling them away from her face, saying, "Never hide your face." She smiled.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. Brook was shocked at the question but she nodded saying, "Yes." Tyler bent his head, meeting his lips with hers.

Brook was confused at what to do, so she stood there. Their lips stayed pressed together for a few moments before Tyler broke the contact. Brook didn't really feel anything during the kiss which bothered her a bit. But she shrugged it off. It was probably because she was feeling down from their earlier conversation.

They began walking the short distance to her house. When they got there, Tyler said, "Think about what I said." before leaving her at the door. She stood there for a minute before in confusion.

"_What am I going to do?_" She asked herself sitting on the doorstep. Realizing that Skyler and Joseph followed her, she called, "Alright guys, come out." They both came from around the corner walking up to her.

**Skyler and Joseph**:  
Joseph transferred all the information they got to Gabriel and Francesca.

"This guy is dangerous." Skyler convicted.

"I know, that's why Gabriel has to get to him and do something." Joseph said. They were at the street corner that Tyler and Brook were at.

"Alright guys, come out." They heard Brook call. They both came around from the corner and walked up to Brook.

"So did you get your information?" She asked. They both looked down sheepishly and nodded. "Good. I have to go talk to Gabriel and Francesca." She opened the door and walked in, finding them on the couch. She looked pretty angry. Skyler and Joseph followed in with her then headed to Skyler and Brooks room.

"What's wrong Brook?" Francesca asked with concern.

"Are you guys vampires?" She asked, looking down at her feet. She hoped that Tyler was wrong. Francesca looked shocked at the question.

"Sit down." Gabriel ordered softly. She did as she was told.

"To answer your question, no we are not vampires." Gabriel answered. Brook looked into his eyes for the truth. He was telling the truth.

"Than what are you?" She asked. Francesca let Gabriel explain.

"We are Carpathians." Brook furrowed her brows in confusion waiting for him to continue. "We are an ancient species on the brink of extinction. We have gifts like you and Skyler have. Joseph is Carpathian too but he's really young. We can turn into mist, turn into any animal there is, and pretty much do anything with minds." He explained. He waited for a reaction from Skyler but she was listening intently.

"What can you do with mortal minds?" She asked.

"We can erase memories or dim them a little bit. We dimmed your memories a bit to ease your pain. We did the same thing with Skyler's and she knows. We can also create illusions along with reading them as you know." He paused for a moment for her take in the information.

"We can also live for eternity but also die." He added.

"You can live forever?" She asked, wide-eyed shocked. "Yes, we can." He admitted.

"How old are you?" She asked curious. He pointed to Francesca and himself answering her question, "We are over 2,000 years old." Brooks eyes grew bigger. "Wow." She said, awed at their age.

"Why did Tyler tell me that you're vampires?" Brook asked, her eyes guarded a bit.

"Because vampires come from our species." He explained. "What do you mean?" She asked, her brows furrowed curiously.

"After so many hundred years, the male species of our race lose their emotions and lose their ability to see in color. They get them back when they find their lifemate."

"Lifemate? What's that?" Brook asked with a certain tone in her voice. Gabriel let Francesca explain.

"Brook," she averted her attention to Francesca. "I am lifemate to Gabriel. I restored emotion and color to him. If he hadn't found me than he would have turned into a vampire. That wouldn't have been good for humans or for the Carpathians." Francesca paused for a moment.

"I was born Carpathian and can live forever. But if one of us die, so does the other."

"What do you mean?" Brook asked.

" Well, once a male Carpathian finds his lifemate, he…." Francesca paused for a way to explain it for Brook to understand. "binds her to him." She concluded.

"How?" She asked.

"Three blood exchanges." She answered. "Oh." Brook made a disgusted face. They both chuckled a bit at her reaction.

"Is that why Tyler call you guys vampires?" She asked, tilting her head in wonderment.

"No, Carpathians have to feed off humans to live. But we don't kill them. If we do, then we turn vampire. That's only the males though. Female Carpathians don't turn vampire, they are lifemate to any male Carpathian." Gabriel informed.

"What makes males turn vampire if they don't find their lifemate?" Brook had a lot of questions and they were willing to answer them. She was taking this information really well.

"We were created that way. Though what makes us turn faster is that the remaining Carpathians fight the vampires on a daily basis. With every kill, darkness spreads through our souls and when it completes, we turn vampire." Gabriel answered.

Brook thought back to the earlier information Gabriel told her and asked, "You said that your species is on the brink of extinction, why is that?"

"Because humans and Carpathians were once known to each other. Humans betrayed us and slaughtered most of us in the Turks War. Since then, we hide from them and protect them from a distance from the vampires." Brook saddened at the information.

"But we are finding ways to repopulate. Our females are getting pregnant, and finding ways to cure us. Our babies don't live past a few years but we are finding ways around that. Our males are also finding their lifemates."

"That's good. What do you do in your spare time? Living forever would kind of bore me." She said.

"The males hunt the vampires and kill them. That's what they do until they find their lifemate. The females help the humans in their spare time. That's what Francesca did until I found her." Gabriel looked over at his lifemate and smiled softly. Brook smiled at their love.

"I've noticed something, you guys don't go out into the daytime. Why?"

"We are sensitive to the sun. If we are exposed, we die. We also can't eat human food. It makes us sick." He explained simply. He sighed and said, "That is what we are. We're not evil, we just live through this world like everyone else." He concluded.

"You guys don't sound evil to me. Tyler was definately wrong about you guys." She said, her eyes downcast.

"What did he tell you, Brook?" Francesca asked.

"He told me that he was part of this organization that kills vampires. He also told me to ask you what you guys are and to go over to his apartment after I asked you. But I'm not doing that at all." She explained.

"Anything else?" She asked. "Yes, he wanted me to join the organization because I was a victim of a vampire." She added, "But I said no."

"What are you guys going to do with him?" Brook asked, looking at both of them.

"If he is a threat…." Gabriel didn't want to tell her what he had to tell her. "We have to get rid of him. But we won't have to do that unless a vampire got to him. Than we can find the vampire and kill it and that will take Tyler out of his possession."

Brook understand him on the first part and narrowed her brows. But she like the last part, that meant that Tyler had a chance of living. "Ok, that's good then. He might be possessed by a vampire." Brook said.

"He's like this because his parents were killed by a vampire and he really wants revenge." She said sympathetically. She could fully understand his need for revenge.

"Than he's either doing this on his own or possessed by a vampire. Most likely the second." Gabriel inquired.

"I do sense something 'off' about him, but I don't know what it is though." Brook said, a tint of sadness in her voice. "I can't believe he is in the organization if he thinks you guys are vampires. Have people….like him killed any of the Carpathians?" She asked.

"Yes, they have. They torture us than kill us." He remembered the condition Jacques was in when his lifemate found him.

"Oh my god." She covered her hand over her mouth.

"You guys have encountered them before, haven't you?" She asked, shocked.

"Yes we have." Gabriel answered. "What they do to your woman are worse." He said, not elaborating. Brook paled and looked sick. She didn't say anything, understanding what he meant. "What we have told you, you cannot tell anyone." Gabriel said, making it clear. "I won't. I promise." Brook promised.

"You guys saved and adopted me, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you guys." She said, smiling softly.

"I'm going to call and tell him that I don't want to see him anymore." She got up and went to the phone.

"You don't have to do that. We have to keep him close. I'm sure that a vampire got to him." Gabriel informed Francesca and Brook.

"How do you know?" Brook asked.

"I looked into his mind, and saw black spots, meaning that a vampire touched his mind. We have to kill the vampire." Gabriel said. Brook was happy to hear that, that meant that Tyler didn't have to die.

"How do we find the vampire?" Brook asked.

"You don't, I do." He said. "I have to go out and find the thing." Gabriel said. Brook didn't like the sound of that at all. Worry spread across her face.

"I'll be fine Brook, I've been doing this for over a thousand years." He gave her a reassuring smile. Breaking the moment, a knock came to the door.

"I'll get it!" Skyler called. She came from her room with Joseph behind her.

**Tyler**:  
"_I can't get to the door, Why?"_ He asked the mysterious voice.

"_There is a spell keeping us out. I'll unravel it." _The voice explained. _"Just stay where you are."_ He ordered. Tyler did as he was ordered. He stood there for a few minutes while the creature unraveled the spell.

"_Ok, go ahead." _The voice gave permission. He stepped up to the door and knocked with his right hand while the gun was in his left.

He was going to save Brook from these evil creatures if it was the last thing he did. She would come with him, live together, and be happy. She was the only one who could understand him. He wasn't going to lose her to these evil beings.

The door opened, showing Skyler and Joseph. He hid the gun behind his back and smiled. "Is Brook here?" He asked politely. Skyler got a look on her face, showing that she knew something wasn't right with him.

**Skyler**:  
Skyler looked over at Gabriel. "_Gabriel, something isn't right about him. He wants Brook."_ She thought with a bit of panic.

"_It's ok."_ He sent her his reassurance. He walked over to the door before sending Francesca, Joseph, and Skyler to the chamber. He kept Brook with him in case something went wrong.

He smiled once he saw Tyler, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Hi Tyler come in, Brook is right here." Tyler walked in with the gun still behind his back. He tucked it in the back of the waistband of his jeans.

Brook saw him and smiled. "Hi Tyler, what are you doing here?" Brook asked, hiding her disappointment from her voice.

"I came to get you." He said flatly, though a bit of determination his tone. He was walking over to her

"What are you talking about?" She asked. Gabriel was going to stop him before he got closer to Brook, but before he could; his gun came out, pointing at Gabriel.

"Boy, you think that will stop me?" Gabriel threatened in his hypnotic tone. Tyler shook off the effects of his voice.

Brook gasped at the gun and bellowed, "What are you doing?"

He looked over at her. "You know what they are, what they do, and yet you're still fooled by them." He said, his voice low and angry.

"I know what they are, but they aren't evil. They are good people." Brook defended.

"People, you call them people? They aren't human, but monsters. Your so naïve, Brook." He objected, his tone rising.

"_Gabriel, please let me handle this."_ She pleaded. Gabriel didn't respond right away.

"Tyler, please give me the gun." She pleaded. She began walking slowly to him, getting closer.

He ignored her request. "Come with me Brook, I can save you from them."

"_Please get the gun from him."_ She thought to Gabriel.

"_He won't shoot me, he's too scared."_ He answered. Brook was happy at the news.

"I don't need saving, Tyler. I'm happy." She was getting closer to him.

"If you don't come with me, I will shoot Gabriel." He threatened.

"Tyler…." She hesitated for a moment. "You above all people should know that won't stop him." She informed him. He smiled, then said, "All I have to do is aim for the heart, and that will stop him."

Tears began to form in her eyes. "Don't do this." She pleaded. She was in front of him now, her hand covering over the hand of the gun.

"I have to for you to be safe." Her hand covered his.

"I am safe." She whispered. She concentrated on heat in her hand covering his.

"Not with them, your not." He said, looking her in the eyes. Sweat began to form on the side of his face. Heat pooled in her hand and scorched his. In an instant, the gun dropped from his hand. He hissed at the pain and stumbled away from her.

"What did you do?" He asked, looking at her wildly.

"I took the gun from you." She answered, looking at him. Gabriel stood away from them, letting Brook handle the situation.

"How?" He asked, looking at her weirdly.

"That's not important. Tyler, I told you. I'm happy and safe. You're the one that is naïve. You have been deceived by evil." She informed him softly. His eyes narrowed in anger.

"No I haven't." He denied.

"Tyler, do you know how I came into the hands of a vampire?" She asked him. Confusion contorted his face.

"No." He answered, looking back at Gabriel. He was paranoid with him here.

"_You have to leave that place. I told you not to go there. But you didn;t listen" _The vampire warned him.

He began heading for the door but was blocked by Gabriel's large stature. He backed up in fear.

"You will sit and listen." He ordered threateningly. He shook his head and sat down on the chair closest to him. Gabriel picked up the gun and crushed it in his hand. Then threw the remains in the garbage. Tyler widened his eyes and tensed up in fear.

"_I can't get out of here. Not with that Carpathian here."_ He thought with panic.

"_Stay there and I will find a way for you to get out." _The vampire told him.

"I was in my bed sleeping. Then I woke up to the sound of a song playing in my head." Tyler began to listen to her story.

"I got out of my bed and walked out of house. I ended up walking through the woods like I was hypnotized." She was interrupted by Gabriel leaving the room. He stopped and looked down at Tyler. "I'll be close by." He bent down and gave Brook a kiss on the head. She smiled at him when he left. Tyler was confused by the affection.

"What happened next?" Tyler asked.

"I ended up at a cave where a man was standing. He was singing the song and lured me into the cave. He looked beautiful in appearance but then he changed into the most ugliest thing." She stopped for a moment.

"What did he look like?" Tyler asked. "He looked like a skeleton with sharp teeth that was stained with dried blood, long-daggered finger nails, and black eyes. You never want to come across anything like that." She explained. She continued saying, "My parents came and tried to save me. They were instantly killed in front of me. I was seven years old." She looked at Tyler then, his eyes have changed to sympathy, his head down.

"How did you escape?" He asked, his voice low. She sighed, then began explaining, "Well, once he woke up, he ordered me to come over to him. At this point in my life, I was like a zombie, dead but alive. But I wanted to get out of there. So when I didn't listen to him, he came over to me and basically tore into my neck. While he was drinking from me, I got my weapon and stabbed in the chest. That warred him off for a few seconds. He was wounded and that was good enough for the moment but those things don't die easily. He rushed to me at lightening speed and began choking me." She hesitated for a moment to study him. He was listening intently, staring at her. She continued, "The look in his eyes was such darkness. I thought, 'I could compete with that,' so I looked into his eyes and conjured up all my hatred, anger, frustration, and thought of destroying him. Flames began to consume him. He let me go and he turned to ashes before my eyes while he screamed in agony. Trust me, it was good to see him die in front of me. That's how I escaped." She finished her story. Tyler looked wide-eyed, and bewildered.

"How did you come across Gabriel and Francesca?" He asked. She immediately began answering. "After I escaped, I walked for miles and miles, my body get weaker by every step. I ended up in a town, in the middle of the night, everything hazy around me. I saw a woman exiting from a building and stumbled to her. Gabriel showed up then and they took me here. Francesca healed me. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here right now. That vampire almost killed me. I still have scars from that thing, physically and mentally." She ended her story.

"Wow. I can't believe you survived that." He said in awe. "You are very strong, Brook." he commented. She smiled slightly.

"Tyler, what I'm getting at is that if it weren't for Gabriel and Francesca, including Skyler, I would not be here right now." She said, trying to get the information in Tyler's head.

"I'm starting to believe that." He said. "What made you like this? I know that it was the death of your parents, but what happened?" She asked, demanding to hear his story.

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "Tyler, please tell me. I gave you my story. It's only fair that you give me yours." She said.

He sighed, then began to talk. "Well, I was ten years old and with my parents. We were coming from my play that I performed for my school. We were walking down an alley and we heard something behind us. My parents turned at the sound and saw a disfigured figure some distance away from them. My mother opened the side building door and shoved me in it. I was in some room, but I didn't know what it was.I knew what was going to happen to them in that instant. But I was too scared to come out of my hiding place."

"How did you know?" She asked, her brows furrowed. He looked at her for a few moments before answering. "I don't know if you'll believe but I saw it coming in my head, and that scared me half to death." He answered.

"I believe you, so your psychic?" She asked. "Yes, I am." She smiled then said, "Don't worry I believe you. So what happened next?" She asked for him to continue.

"After that, I heard sounds that made me sick, then screams, and then nothing. I was in their for what seemed like forever. I ended up falling asleep. When I woke up, I was still in some part of the building. I opened the door and it was still dark. I called my parents but they never came for me. Walking outside, I stumbled over something. I looked down and saw my parents bodies. I was horrified at the sight and so I ran, and ran, until I couldn't run anymore." He stopped, his face contorted in horror.

"Where did you end up going?" She asked.

"An old woman found me on the streets a few days later and turned me into social services. From there, I went to counseling but I wouldn't talk about anything, I also went from family to family until I was old enough to go out on my own. I'm eighteen now, and living on my own." He concluded, finishing.

"How did you fall into the organization?" Brook asked, making him continue.

"I've made some friends along the way. But this guy named Brian, was unusual to me. He actually helped me. He ended up making me talk, he even let me live with him. I told him my story and he told me that my parents were attacked by a vampire and brought me into the organization when I was fifteen." He finished with his head in his hands. "That's my story." He ended. "After the death of my parents, I ignored my visions." He added.

"Can you somehow get yourself out of there?" She asked, reaching for his hand. He brought his head up and looked up at her. His eyes held some type of desperation.

"I've tried but I can't. I don't want to kill those things anymore. Some of them weren't even vampires. They were humans and others were like Gabriel, and Francecsa. If I ever try to get out again, they will kill me. I can't get out and it drives me crazy." He said, his throat tight.

"_Gabriel, can you help him?"_ Brook asked.

"_If he let's me, I can."_ Gabriel answered.

"Gabriel will help you if you let him." Brook said, making him look up at her.

"He won't help, he will kill me." He said. He began looking all over the place.

"I have to get out of here. He'll kill me." he said with desperation.

"I won't kill you." Gabriel said, walking in. Tyler jumped up from his seat and scrambled to the door. "Yes you will, they tell me that you guys will kill me. They will kill me and your kind will." His eyes were going crazed.

Gabriel stopped a few feet from him and said, "Tyler, I won't kill you." Gabriel said, using the powers of his tone to sooth him.

"Get out of my head!" He yelled, clutching his head, his back sliding down the door. Brook walked over to him and sat down beside him, putting her arm around him. She pulled him to her chest and he went willingly.

"Shhhhhh. It's alright." She cooed. They stayed like that for few minutes before getting up and sitting on the couch.

"I know now that I've been deceived now. I'm sorry for everything." He apologized to Brook.

"It's ok." She said, rubbing his arm, attempting to soothe him. "No it's not. The things I did aren't acceptable. The things they make you do are disgusting." He said with disgust in his tone.

"What do they make you do?" Gabriel asked. Tyler didn't want to explain anything to him for fear of death coming to him in a flash.

"Like I said, I won't kill you." Gabriel said, assuring him. He wasn't sure if he believed him or not. But he began explaining until the voice came to his head.

"_Don't tell them anything, they will just kill you." _The voice warned.

"I can't tell you, the voice told me that you will kill me." He said, his voice quivering.

"Who?" Brook asked.

"This voice in my head that has been guiding me to do things. That's how I was led to you guys. It tells me that you guys are evil, and that I have to kill you." He explained, breathless.

"_What are you doing? Don't tell them anything!"_ The voice boomed inside his head. Tyler clutched his head in pain, shrieking, and falling to the ground.

"Tyler." Brook called in alarm.

"_Francesca, come up here but leave Skyler and Joseph down there." _Gabriel called. Francesca instantly appeared beside him. "What happened?" Francesca asked, kneeling down beside Tyler.

"Can you heal his mind?" Gabriel asked.

"I could try. But if it's a vampire, there is a possibility that I can't." Francesca answered.

"I'll help." Gabriel offered. They placed him on the couch, laying him down. His face was torn in anguish.

Francesca and Gabriel were knelt down beside him. "Tyler." Francesca called his name, holding his hand. He looked up at her face and smiled.

"Concentrate on my face, Tyler." Francesca said, soothing him. He stared at her and began too smile softly.

Gabriel went into his mind and saw various big black spots everywhere. He can't do anything except dim down the pain in his head. "I can't do much except dim down the pain in his head. That's all I can do. What ever vampire has a hold of him, is very powerful." Gabriel said. "Do it." Francesca ordered. Gabriel closed his eyes and concentrated on the black spots in his mind and took away some pain in his head. After that, he put him in a deep sleep.

"Is that all we can do for now?" Brook asked, looking up at Gabriel with hope.

"Yes, that's all we can do for now." He answered. "Go to bed Brook, you look tired." He ordered. "Ok, but can I sleep out here with him? I'll sleep on the floor." Brook asked. Gabriel gave her permission. She got her sleeping bag from her room, a few blankets, and a pillow. She set everything up and went to sleep.

Gabriel went out searching for the vampire. He took information from Tyler's mind. The vampires name was Clyde. He searched for a while and ended up killing one vampire that was feeding on a pregnant woman. She almost died, but he healed her. He also fed and returned home when it was nearing dawn.

Returning to the house, he saw Brook deeply asleep, and Skyler and Joseph were also asleep. He went down to his chambers and saw Francesca sitting on the bed, waiting for him.

"Did you find anything out?" She asked, worried. He shook his head, and answered, "No, nothing yet. We'll need more information from Tyler. His mind is blocked by something powerful. But I got the name of the vampire, Clyde."

"You mean Clyde? The one that knew the Dubrinsky family?" Francesca asked in bewilderment. Gabriel shook his head.

"He's one of the first turned vampires. He disappeared after he turned and no one ever saw him after that. He's killed skillfully, never leaving a dead body in the streets. The only evidence that ever told anyone of his existence was the many disappearances of people. I will have to gather up all the Carpathian males and get them in on this." He explained.

"Alright, deal with this tomorrow. Your tired, come to sleep with me." She smiled seductively and showed him some very 'interesting images' in his mind.

**-End of chapter. This is a long chapter and took me a while to finish it. I put some action into it. Sorry for any grammar errors in this chapter. Tell me what you think. :D Criticism is also allowed.-**


	7. Chapter 7: Clyde Minstrolo

Gabriel sat with his brother, Lucian, and the Prince, Mikhail Dubrinsky on the couch while Tyler stared all three of them with tenseness. He knew that they wouldn't kill him yet, but it was still nerve racking to be in the presence of them. Francesca, Joseph, Brook, and Skyler were all at the hospital. Gabriel sent them away for the time being until they could get more information from Tyler.

"Tyler, your going to have to tell us about the organization and the vampire." He snapped his head to the direction of the voice was coming. It was Gabriel, the only one he would talk to for the time being. He didn't answer right away.

"_You better not tell them anything. I can kill you right now if I wanted too." _The vampire threatened.

"_Go ahead, I'd rather be dead than serve you any longer."_ Tyler scolded. There was no response from the voice, only an angered silence.

"Tyler?" Gabriel called. He averted his eyes to Gabriel again.

"The organization is located-" he was interrupted by howling scream in his head. He screamed in agony, clutching his head and falling to the ground. Gabriel went by his side immediately, but Tyler got up as soon as he fell to the ground.

"I'm fine. Clyde really doesn't want me too say anything." He attempted to make it into a joke, but none of them laughed. He sat back down, putting his hands over his face in stress. He knew he might die while doing this, but it might be the only way out.

"I first came into the organization when I was 15 while I was living with a guy named Brian McKrain. " He started, they all were listening intently. He studied all three of them. Lucian and Gabriel were twins, who all had power clinging to them like second skin. The third one, Prince Mikhail who also had power clinging to him had an air of more authority around him than the other two. All three had perfect features, and built the same. He wondered how he could ever mistake them as evil like Clyde was.

Continuing, he said, "Brian brought me in and had tests done on me of all kinds. Brain tests, physical tests, blood tests, and even had me take an exam to see what my intelligence level was. It was obviously pretty high because I was instantly brought in, and also because I was psychic."

"You're a psychic?" Lucian asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes, I am. But I don't pay attention to my visions, they just wreak havoc." He answered simply. They told him to proceed with his story and he did. "Anyways, after month I was in the organization, I was sent to meet this guy named Clyde." He smiled slightly for a second, then said, "That was the worst mistake of my life. Anyways, I went to the room that they sent me too and I saw him. He resembled you guys a bit but my senses instantly told me that there was something about him that was way off." He told them his story while the memory played in his head…..

_ Tyler walked into the room where Clyde Minstrolo was too meet him. The room was plain white walls with a wide silver, metal table that sat in the middle of the room. Chairs were set around the table for seating._

_A tall, dark man stood, facing a wall studying something that wasn't there. "Sir, you wanted to see me?…" Tyler said hesitantly. Clyde turned and smiled. Tyler was shocked at his beauty. He never observed guys but it was hard not to notice his perfections. He had black hair that was spread around his wide shoulders, eyes that were onyx, surrounded by thick lashes and above were shapely eyebrows. His high cheekbones were only complemented his dark eyes. His nose was perfectly sculpted, below were lips that were also perfect along with a strong chin. He was intimidating and tall, with a very muscular build to him._

"_Yes, Tyler. I did." His voice sounded hollow but yet had something that rang underneath his tone…something musical. "Come sit." He gestured to a chair a few feet from him. He walked over and sat, slouched with his ankles crossed. It was good to appear cool, and nonchalant._

"_What did you need me for?" He asked, eyeing him._

"_Just another test, that's all." He said with a secret twist in his tone. Tyler's blue eyes narrowed in suspicion, then said, "I thought I completed all the tests that were required of me to take?" _

"_I did, but I always give one more test personally to my people." Clyde inquired, smiling a smile that was somehow terrifying to Tyler. He scooted his chair back a few feet in fright._

"_Well, let's this get this test over with." Tyler snapped, standing up. He wasn't going to show fear to him, no matter what. Clyde laughed deep in his throat, saying, "You're going to be a defiant one, I can tell. Sit down and take my hands." Tyler reluctantly did as he was instructed. He put his hands in Clyde's, palms down while Clyde's were facing up._

"_Good, now look into my eyes." Clyde said, a smile not reaching his eyes. Tyler looked into his eyes and saw deep black pools that you could drown in._

"_Look deep, Tyler." Clyde instructed softly. Tyler searched his eyes more and found nothing but black._

"_I see nothing." Tyler whispered. "Exactly." Clyde said. Then instantly, the screne changed into an alley. His eyes widened, realization dawning on him._

"_Where am I?" He asked, shocked. "You know where you are." Clyde responded. "You will know what happened in the alley." He added. "No." Tyler said, under his breath, barely unable to speak._

_The memory began to play. He saw his mother open a door and shoved him into the dirty room, then ran over to her husband._

"_Is he safe?" His father asked, while holding a dirty, rusted bar. His mother nodded in response, looking down the long alley at the disfigured sight._

"_What is that thing?" His mother asked in fear._

"_A vampire. Clyde." He responded softly, looking back at her with sadness._

"_You told me that you weren't going back there." She yelled in disbelief. _

"_Not now. I ran and he found me. We have fight to get away from this guy." He retorted with anger. She nodded and said, "Fine."_

_Clyde came forward laughing evilly, saying, "Sorry, but I will be the last sight you see." Before they could respond, he rushed forward with supernatural speed and ripped his father's throat out with a sickening sound. He was dead before he fell to the ground with a thud. His mother screamed at the sight and began to run to where Tyler was to grab him. Clyde grabbed her by the back of her head and jerked her to him._

"_Now where do you think your going missy?" He questioned sadistically. She began breathing heavy. "Let me go!" She said defiantly, gripping his hand to ease the sharpening pain in her head._

"_Now, why would I do that?" He playfully asked. Before she could answer, he ripped into her throat. She screamed in agony but the sound soon died down when she was dead. He dropped her to the ground carelessly at his feet with his eyes glowing red._

_The memory ended and he was pulled out of the memory feeling shocked and numb. _

"_W-why did you show me that?" he whispered, his throat croaked. Clyde laughed deep in his throat again, "Why, only to break you of course. This is what all my people have to go through to pass." He responded with a twisted, happy smile on his perfect face._

"_Y-you killed my parents." He said, barely above a whisper. He stared blankly at him for a moment. Then out of nowhere, he jumped over the table with his arms out; muscles showing. He aimed at his throat but wasn't even close to reaching the vampire's being. In an instant, he found himself lifted off the ground with Clyde's hands around his neck. He gasped for air._

"_What are you, just plain stupid? You will never kill me. I'm too powerful for a mere psychic mortal." He laughed, his face close to Tyler's. Tyler narrowed his eyes, conjuring up as much hate as he could through his blue eyes inside him. He didn't say anything, just stared at him in hate._

"_You're a special one to me." He informed sadistically. He set him down on the ground, his strong hand still around his neck. Tyler was horrified at what would come next, but hid his fear that was stabbing him in the pit of his stomach._

"_What are you going to do?" Tyler hissed. Clyde just laughed then bent Tyler's head to one side. "No!" He bellowed, struggling in his grasp. Clyde continued to laugh while he bent his head slowly to his throat. His teeth pierced his throat, striking pain entering his system. He still struggled immensely while Clyde drank his fill. He entered his mind, laughing in his own twisted way, then swept his tongue across the pricks he made. He let go of him, letting him fall to the ground clasping his throat and coughing._

"_You fucking sick bastard." He condemned, looking at him with even more convicted hate at him. Clyde laughed at the insult as if it didn't mean anything._

"_You're mine now, connected to me through the blood I took." He informed him, smiling that horrifying smile._

"_Are all your people connected to you like this?" Tyler asked in a low tone. Anger was surging through him. He wanted nothing more than to kill him, but couldn't because he was weak and he knew that he could never win against him in a physical match._

"_Some are, but your more connected to me than anyone else. Don't worry, I didn't poison you or anything. I could if I wanted too but I didn't. But my DNA is inside you from when my fangs punctured your neck." He answered simply. Tyler glared at him._

"_But know this," He bent down towards him closely, taking his face in his strong hands. "I will know everything you do, and say. I will be inside your head 24/7." He informed him, looking into his eyes, penetrating them. Tyler continued to glare at him, not saying anything._

"_You will soon break and die. Though I wonder how long that will take?" He wondered with a lilt of his head. Clyde bent into his ear, whispered, "You've just entered yourself into hell. Welcome, Tyler." He got up and walked out of the room, laughing, leaving Tyler alone, sitting on the cold ground that was setting deep into his bones. _

The story ended along with the painful memory that was etched deep into his mind. The three Carpathian sighed after Tyler's story ended.

"He took your blood, no wonder he can manipulate you." Gabriel said obviously.

"Just kill him, do whatever you guys do and kill him. Or better yet, kill me to put me out of my misery." Tyler said desperately. He wondered how he put up with his torment for three years of his life.

Gabriel explained softly, "Tyler, we are not going to kill you. It's not your fault for what happened to you." Tyler looked up with narrowed eyes.

"Even after what I've done in that damn organization?" He asked rhetorically, angry. "You've crossed those people, and know what they do. How could you not kill me for what I've done?" He asked.

"What have you done?" Mikhail asked, staring. Tyler was hesitant to answer with the way Mikhail was looking at him in a weird way.

"I've…killed Carpathians, but never the females. If it came to them, I would always find a way around that and leave. I even helped one escape." He answered with a bit of sadness. They all narrowed their eyes in questions.

"Your mind is blocked somehow, we can't find a way into it or else we would know your memories." Lucian explained. "I know." Tyler said.

"You must have received serious punishment for doing that?…" Mikhail said. Tyler shrugged.

"Do you know where Clyde is?" Gabriel asked, changing the subject. Tyler paused when he heard evil laughter in his mind.

"_Boy, you have no idea what you have gotten yourself into."_ Clyde laughed.

_"I honestly don't care what I've gotten myself into, I just want you dead."_ He laughed at his response.

"Yes, I do." Tyler answered. Again, Clyde laughed. Tyler never heard another word from him.

"I can show you where the organization is, what they do, and who they are." Tyler added. They all smiled at him. He wondered why but didn't ask. They weren't going to kill him….yet. That's good.

"We have to get more Carpathian hunters in on this to defeat Clyde. I'll call them up and tell them." Mikhail announced. Lucian and Gabriel agreed at the plan.

Just than, Francesca, Skyler, Brook, and Joseph walked in. They all looked over at the them.  
"So, how is everything?" Skyler asked out of the blue. They all laughed at the random question. She could always make people smile when the moment was down. Tyler got up and smiled at Brook then looked back at everyone.

"I'm going to get some air." He announced to the room. "I'll come." Brook stepped beside him.

"Stay here with them." Tyler objected softly. Brook narrowed her brows in confusion.

"Why?" She asked. "I'm to dangerous to be around right now. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt." He informed, his tone low and soft. She hesitantly agreed while Tyler went outside.

"Is he going to be ok?" She asked with worry. "He'll be fine." Gabriel answered.

"I have to go talk to him." Brook said grabbing her jacket, leaving. No one stopped her as she went out.

**Tyler**:

Tyler stepped outside, walked down the one step. He began walking down the sidewalk, thoughts racing through his mind. His head was down, looking at his feet.

He turned the corner, still thinking. "Hello Tyler." A voice said that he recognized all to well. He looked up and glared daggers at him.

"What do you want?" He snapped, stepping forward. Clyde laughed.

"You still got that spit of fire in you. Looks like I haven't broken you down after three years." He said with intrigue.

Tyler howled a laugh at him, then said, "Trust me, Clyde. You have drove my mind to the point of insanity. But these people will kill you. They might kill me to but at least the world be rid of a pathetic worthless creature like you." Clyde glided the rest of the distance between them.

"They won't kill you before I do." Clyde promised.

"Tyler?" Brook called. Tyler looked back while Clyde looked up. Tyler's eyes widened.

"Brook, what are you doing out here?" Tyler asked, shocked with worry. Clyde smiled happily at the interruption.

"I had to talk to you." She answered, confused. "We can't talk right now, get out of here." Tyler snapped out of worry. Clyde jerked Tyler's head his way and looked into his blue eyes, then smiled wider.

"You have deep affections for this girl." He observed with amusement, then looked at Brook.

"Come here, girl." Clyde ordered, holding out his hand.

**Brook**:

Brook looked at the creature a few feet away from her. He resembled Devin in more ways than one. The hand held out sent a flashback….

_ "I'm Devin." He answered. "Come here, young one." He ordered gently, probing her mind to force her to listen. _

_He held out his hand for her take. She studied his large hand than his appearance. He was tall with black hair and dark eyes that held nothing at all. It creeped her out a bit but his face held beauty. His face looked like it was carved from perfection. _

She looked into his eyes and saw amusement, but underneath was nothing and darkness. _"Devin, he's back." _She thought with fear.

"Brook, get back in the house." Tyler ordered harshly.

"_Gabriel, Devin's back."_ She sent the thought to Gabriel in fear.

"_No use in doing that. I'm blocking your mind from them." _He sent into her mind.

"Come here Brook." Clyde ordered. She nodded and went to turn but found that she couldn't move her feet. She shook her head again.

"Don't you dare go near her." Tyler threatened. Clyde laughed, then said, "What are you going to do? You'll be dead before you intervene, and won't be able to stop me." He said, then bent down and tore into his neck. He struggled, screaming, "Nooo!"

"_Gabriel, he's killing Tyler. Help him!"_ She thought in panic.

"_Don't worry little girl, your next."_ He laughed inside her head sadistically. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. No, not this again. She won't be stuck with another creature like this one.

Clyde was still tearing into Tyler's neck, then threw him aside into the brick wall.

"Gabriel!" She screamed as Clyde walked closer to her. He closed his hand over her mouth.

"We don't want to do that, now do we?" He said, playfully. Brook brought her hand up to the vampires arm and scorched it. He hissed, than his face turned to amusement.

"You're a unique one." He said, intrigued by the girls gift.

"Get away from me." She yelled.

"_Gabriel!" _She screamed inside her head. Was he coming?

Tyler rolled around on the ground in pain, then slouched up and grabbed a knife from his boot, then stood up. He concentrated on the vampires middle back, pulling his arm back and flinging it at the vampire. It stuck right in the middle. But it didn't seem to affect him in any way. Clyde turned around, reaching to his back and pulling the knife out.

"I told you it takes more than that to kill me." He assured him, than flung the knife into Tyler's shoulder. He fell to the ground with a yell.

"Let's go my dear." Clyde said looking down at Brook. Brook's green eyes widened in fear, while Clyde shot up into the air with Brook in his arms, taking her to another destination.

**In the house**:

"Something's wrong." Skyler announced.

"What do you mean?" Francesca asked, almost in alarm.

"Tyler, he's hurt." Skyler said, going to the door, opening it. They all followed her out and around the corner. They saw Tyler on the ground, neck tore up and a knife in his shoulder.

"What happened?" Francesca asked running by his side.

"He's…got…Brook" He croaked. He rolled more on the ground repeating Brook's name.

**-End of chapter. Please R&R. I'm sorry if there are any grammatical errors. I would really appreciate reviews. :D Crticism is also allowed. Tell me what you think.-**


	8. Chapter 8: Final Battle

**Note: Thanks for the comments along the way. I really appreciate it:D**

"Get the hell away from me!" She screeched at the vampire. Being near Clyde made her skin craw more than it did being near Devin. She didn't want to be within 100 feet of the thing.

Clyde laughed, saying, "Do I really make your skin craw that bad?" Brook nodded then stepped back away from him. She was on the other side of the plain room. She definitely didn't want to be near him.

"You can make anyone's skin craw." She snapped out of fear. He laughed at her response. Is that all he can do, Laugh that evil laugh that sends shivers down people's spine and make their mind cringe at the thought of him? Yes.

Dear God, this was one evil creature…

**Back at the house**:

"Gabriel, help me get him in the house. He's dying." Francesca ordered. Gabriel picked him up, cradling him to his chest, and took him in the house; putting him on the couch.

"He's….got…Brook." Tyler croaked, his throat not working. The right side of his throat was torn up badly, making him lose blood at a fast rate. The knife in his shoulder only worsened the loss of blood.

Francesca ignored the words, immediately started working to heal him from the inside. His body wasn't as bad as Brooks was. He kept his muscles well-toned and in shape. His neck was badly torn into, and would probably die within the next few minutes. The knife was already out of his body, and discarded. She began knitting the ruined arteries back together, then the badly torn tissue, and then set about working at his skin. She would do the knife wound last.

She began with the knife wound. It didn't take much energy like the vampire bite did. All she had to do was restore the cells in the tissue, and muscle, then the skin. Once she was done, she looked over to Gabriel, some of her energy lost

"He needs more blood. I healed his neck and shoulder, but he lost too much blood." She informed, worried. "The only thing that's barely keeping him alive is the fact that I healed his neck. His shoulder wasn't that bad. But his neck was in worse condition than Brooks was." She added.

"How bad was his bite?" Gabriel asked.

"It was deeper, like Clyde took a chunk of meat with him. I had to build more tissue and muscle for him." She answered, her stomach nauseating at the description of his neck.

"Is he conscious?" He asked, walking over to the couch wear Tyler was resting.

"Barely."

Gabriel looked down at him with a sincere look. "Tyler?" he called sincerely. Tyler rolled his head over at the sound of his name. "Hnn." He groaned.

"Your going to die. Do you want to live?" Gabriel asked.

"Brooklyn." He muttered, going back into subconscious. Gabriel shook him awake.

"Do you want to live?" He repeated. He muttered Brooks' name again.

"Do you want to live for Brooklyn?" Gabriel asked. Tyler opened his eyes wider, comprehending what he was asking. He nodded weakly.

"I'm going to have to give you some of my blood if you want to live for Brooklyn." Gabriel explained. Tyler nodded, understanding.

"Do I have your permission?" Gabriel asked for consent. Tyler nodded, looking in to his eyes. Gabriel smiled, genuinely.

"Francesca, I need you to keep him alive while I take some of his blood." Francesca sat down beside, entering Tyler's body trying to keep his heart beating at a steady rate. Gabriel captured his mind with his own, making him not experience the taking of his blood. He sealed pricks he made, than gave Tyler his life's blood through his wrist. He drank greedily, taking in nourishment. He then sealed the pinpricks with a casual stroke of his tongue.

"_You can come out Francesca, he will live."_ Gabriel reassured his lifemate. Francesca came out looking weary.

"He's going to live." She announced. Skyler came into the room looking worried. "But we have to let him rest for a while." She continued.

"Where's Brook?" Skyler asked, not looking at Tyler.

"She's in the organization building. Clyde will take her there." Tyler explained weakly.

"Thanks Tyler. You've done a lot for us. We have all the information that we need." Gabriel said with appreciation.

"How?" Tyler asked, furrowing his brows.

"When I took your blood, I got the information I needed. Plus your connected to me now." Gabriel answered. Tyler looked at him with understanding.

"Just rest now." Francesca ordered softly, rubbing a hand on his head. Tyler did as she said and closed his eyes.

"We have to go now and get Brook." Gabriel said.

"_Mikhail, gather up the Carpathians and meet us at the organization in the city. That's where Brook is." _Gabriel sent all the information he gathered from Tyler to Mikhail.

"_I already did that."_ Mikhail responded. _"We will meet you at the organization."_ Mikhail said. Gabriel agreed and turned to mist, leaving Francesca with Tyler.

**Brook**:  
Brook had heat radiating from her, keeping Clyde away from her.

"Stay away from me." Brook ordered. Clyde walked up to her with his lips in a quirk and a glint in his eye. He was in front of her, feeling the heat coming off of her in waves.

"Darling, that won't keep me back for long. Soon your energy will die and then there will be nothing you can do." He informed with a smirk, and tilting her chin up too look up at him.

"Once Gabriel finds out that you kidnapped me, there will be nothing to stop him from killing you." Brook retorted with a smirk of her own. Clyde just looked down at her with that glint in his eye but the smirk died down, letting go of her chin.

"I know that you don't really look like that." She observed. Clyde furrow her brows for a moment, he didn't say anything. "Your actually pretty ugly and hideous. You only use an illusion to hide what you really are." She continued, Clyde didn't seem to like that.

"How would you know?" He asked, putting his smile back on.

"I'm not as clueless as I look." She answered honestly. Clyde looked into her eyes, entrancing her. She tried looking away but found that she couldn't, which scared her. He entered her mind, making it known by the stabbing pain she was receiving in her head. She clutched the temples of her head, hoping to decrease the pain. Clyde flipped through her mind like a book, examining each memory quickly then releasing her mind. She ended up falling to the ground on her knees, her hands breaking her fall.

"I see, you've come across a vampire before." He said from his earlier observations, smiling that stupid smirk. He turned away from her for a moment as if in thought.

"Dur." She muttered under her breath. He turned back at her, with a light in his eyes like he had an idea.

"You know, I could make you like me?" He said making his statement a question. Brooks eyes widened. That was the last thing she wanted.

"No, I wouldn't let you!" She snapped defiantly. Brook took a step back. Being that close to him was making her skin craw immensely. She wondered if her flesh was going to fall away from her body.

Clyde began walking towards her again but then paused and smiled. "Well, it seems that we've got company." He said with a lilt of his head. "Your daddy has come for you along with seven other Carpathians. They must really want you back." He said.

He walked the distance between them, keeping her in place and bent down to her ear, whispering, "You stay here and be a good little girl." he let his teeth elongate and scrape across her delicate neck, then added, "Then we can finish everything off." Brook froze in place, sheer terror biting in the pit of her stomach. Clyde laughed in her ear before leaving her in her place. Brook made sure that Clyde was gone before falling to the ground that felt cold under her.

**Tyler**:  
Tyler awoke a few minutes after Gabriel left, remembering Brook. He couldn't let her fall into the hands of Clyde. That's the last he wants for her. She needs to live a pure and happy life. Nothing of a life like his. He did feel more energetic and strangely…stronger. As if he was partly born again. It must be Gabriel's blood inside him. Good, then he could get down to the organization faster.

He got up, throwing the covers away from him.

"Where are you going?" Francesca asked, revealing her presence that he didn't even know she was there.

"I…I have to go help them." He stuttered on his words a bit. "Please, I have to do this. I brought trouble to you guys, and Brook is kidnapped, so please let me go." He continued desperately. Francesca stared at him for a moment before answering. "Go ahead." Tyler smiled at her, then hugged her before leaving.

He raced to the organization with his enhanced speed, and was there within minutes.

**At the organization**:  
Clyde found the seven Carpathians. Lucian and Gabriel Datrazanoff, Julian and Aidan Savage, Falcon, Mikhail Dubrinsky, Monolito and Rafeal De La Cruz were there. Though only Gabriel, Lucian, and Mikhail were here at the moment. He figured the other ones were setting a useless trap somewhere.

"Shouldn't you guys be at home with your lifemates?" He asked cockily.

"Don't be so cocky, Clyde." Gabriel said. "We still have to fight." He added.

"Then let's get to it." Clyde responded.

Tyler looked around the corner the three Carpathians standing a distance away from Clyde. He didn't think that he would win against the three men. He was happy about the fact. Then he saw five other Carpathians come around another corner, surrounding Clyde. He was definitely not going to win. He smiled at the thought. He saw two men with gold complexions. That was odd, Carpathians are usually dark. He shrugged and began to watch what was going to happen.

"Then lets get to it." He heard Clyde say. Immediately, they began fighting. Clyde used his lightening speed to get around the seven Carpathians, though the seven other men got good hits on him. They were really impressive.

Intent on watching the fight, he didn't hear someone come up behind him.

"Tyler, what are you doing?" He turned at the question and saw Brian.

"Errr, watching." He answered reluctantly.

"Shouldn't you be helping Clyde?" Brian asked with suspicious narrowed eyes. Tyler didn't answer, knowing that he was caught.

"I don't want to help him." Tyler said, reflecting the look on Brian's face. Brian was dark-skinned, brown hair, and brown eyes with average features. He looked like an ordinary guy though he wasn't.

Brian grabbed the front of Tyler's front shirt and pulled him close.

"Let me go." Tyler said harshly and low. "You're a betrayer." Brian growled through clenched teeth in his face.

"Let me go, Brian." Tyler repeated, with the same harsh tone.

"No, I gave you a home, and bring you in. This is how you repay me?" Brian began. He pulled him into the room next to them and throwing him to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked, getting up and brushing the front of his shirt off.

"Going by the rules." Brian answered, taking a gun out of his jacket pocket.

"Brian, hold on for a sec. Think about it. Clyde isn't who you think he is." Tyler began trying to reason with him. It was working, he wasn't going to shoot him yet.

"What are you talking about?" Brian asked.

"He's a vampire." Tyler confessed.

"Yeah, right." Brian said, pointing the gun at Tyler's chest.

"Think about it. What happened when you went to meet him in that room?" Tyler asked, hoping that he would get through Brian's head.

"I know what happened. He somehow bind me to him. zit was the best thing for me/" Brian answered, pulling back the lock.

"You know then that he's been controlling your movements and everything you do."

"No he hasn't. I make my own choices, I've only been listening to him inside my head. I chose this." He was inching the trigger back.

Tyler knew what he had to do. "I'm sorry Brian."

"For what?" Brian asked, confused.

"You don't see what he truly is. He's a hideous, ugly creature that's only been deceiving us." Tyler explained.

"No he hasn't. Your mind has become deceived by those things fighting Clyde." Tyler could see the trigger pulling.

"I'm sorry that you brought me in. I never wanted to do any of this, becomeing like you." He confessed.

"That's too bad." Before he could fully pull the trigger, he used his speed to take the gun from Brian and through it across the room, breaking it against the wall. Brian's eyes widened at what just happened. "You're like them." He whispered.

"Partly." He said, his head down. "Clyde almost killed me, so they helped me. If they hadn't then I would be dead right now." Tyler confessed.

"They made you into them, so evil. They feed on blood and kill people." Brian convicted. "They've made you so blind to reality." Brian added.

"No they haven't. They've helped me see reality. What do you think we've been doing?" Tyler asked, looking him in the eyes. Brian didn't answer, just pulled out a gun from his back and shot, but Tyler dodged it, appearing behind him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered before snapping his neck. He fell to the ground at his feet. Tyler just stared at him for a few minutes, before leaving. He's going to have to kill everyone in the organization. First, he went in search of Brook.

**Brook**:  
Brook was stilling sitting on the ground, cold. She didn't know how long she's been in the same place. Probably about an hour, she guesstimated. She can hear fighting outside the room. What was going on?

She got up from her spot and walked to the door, opening it. What she saw, made her mouth gape open. She saw seven Carpathians against Clyde. He had wholes racked in his body as he tried to dodge the seven men. They looked like they were trying to aim for his heart.

A man appeared in front her, blocking her view.

"Who are you?" She asked the blond haired man. He wasn't much taller than her. "What's it you?" She snapped. The man smiled, walking into the room. Brook backed up, away from him.

"Nothing, I got a message to come watch and make sure you didn't leave." he smirked, walking into the room, closer to Brook.

"Fine, but just stay on that side of the room." Brook scolded. She was getting sick of men. He smirked and nodded. They sat in silence for a while before the guy began speaking.

"What would Clyde want with you?" He asked. Brook looked at him, answering, "For his twisted reasons." She answered sharply. "What are you? His assistant." She asked sarcastically. Before he could answer, a knock came to the door. The man opened the door, then fell to the ground, knocked out. Tyler walked in smiling at Brook.

"Tyler." She called happily. She ran over and hugged him tightly. "Thank god you're ok." She said, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm fine, Brook. I can't breath though." He said, almost out of breath. "Oh, sorry." Brook said sheepishly, stepping back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Helping." He replied. "You have to get out of here." Tyler said, pulling her out of the room. They stepped out into the hall and saw the Carpathians fighting Clyde.

"Let's go, They can handle this." He ordered, pulling her in the opposite direction. She nodded, letting him pull her with him. They found the exit.

"You have to go home, Brook. I'll stay here and help them." He said.

"Can't you walk me home?" Brook asked, hopefully. Tyler didn't respond for a moment, then nodded. They began walking in silence in the direction of her home.

"What are you going to do when you get back there?" Brook asked.

"I have to get rid of everyone in the building." He explained, not looking her in the eye.

"Tyler, you don't have to do that." Brook responded, understanding what he meant. "Yes, I do. I brought you guys into this. The only thing I can do is help clean it up. You didn't deserve any of this. It only happened because I came back into your life." Tyler objected.

Brook didn't respond, but asked, "How did they heal you?" changing the topic.

"Gabriel gave me some of his blood. I'm partly like him." He answered simply.

"Oh, ok. I'm just happy you're alive." She said.

"Come on, I know a faster way home." he said, smiling. "How?" She asked quizzically.

He went down on his knees, then answered, "Get on my back." She listened. "How is this faster?" She asked.

"Just wait and see." He was still smiling. He then set off to her house in hyper speed. Brook enjoyed it, she thought it was fun.

When they arrived at her house, he set her down slowly. They didn't look at each other for a few moments, just enjoying each other's presence.

"What are you going to do after all this is over?" Brook asked, looking into his face. He shrugged, answering, "I don't know. Finish my last year of high school, then leave this place and make something of myself." She smiled, then stepped up to him on her tip toes, giving him a kiss. "Just be safe." She said. He smiled.

"I will. But you better be safe too." He laughed, kissing her back. He left her at the door, going back to the organization.

He arrived, finding the Carpathians standing over a dead Clyde.

"You guys killed him." He observed. They looked up, bloody. "Yes we did." They answered, something not quite so human under there tone.

"You guys go, I'll take care of the people." He said.

"You're planning to kill them." Gabriel said, reading his mind.

"Yea, they can't stay alive. They'll go after you guys again. I can't let that happen, not after what you did for me." Tyler said.

"You're a good kid, Tyler. No matter what you've done." Gabriel said, walking up to him and rubbing his head. Tyler smiled, saying, "Thanks. I thought you were going to kill me." He confessed. "But you saved me instead." He added.

"I told you that I wasn't going to kill you. You didn't do the things you did by choice." Gabriel responded. The seven other Carpathians just stared at them.

"We'll take care of the other people too." Mikhail said, stepping up. They agreed then went about their job. It didn't take long to dispatch the other people. Though, Tyler didn't think much of what he did. Only thought that what he was doing was for a good reason.

After they were outside, they burned the building to the ground, getting rid of the evidence.

Once they were done, the Carpathians returned to their lifemates and went home. Tyler returned home with Gabriel and rested.

**-This chapter was kind of rushed, and not that great. But I would appreciate comments. :D Please R&R and tell me what you think. Also, criticism is allowed.-**


	9. Chapter 9: Goodbye

"I hope this is all over." Skyler said, sitting down on the couch.

"It is." Gabriel reassured with a kiss on the forehead.

"I'm sorry for what I put you guys through. I will never do anything like that again." Tyler apologized, looking around the room at everyone.

"It's ok, we forgive you." Brook said with a smile. She walked up to him and gave him a hug to reassure him.

"Tyler, your welcome to stay with us for a bit until you get back on your feet." Francesca offered. Tyler smiled at her kindness. He didn't really deserve it. "No thanks, but thank you for the offer." He rejected kindly.

Gabriel walked up to him and said, "If you need anything, we're here for you."

"I know, but I have a question." Tyler said.

"What's that?" Gabriel asked.

"Well, you made me like you kind of, so how does that make me different? I know that I have enhanced speed and all. But I kind of would like to know the information." Tyler asked, looking at him in confusion.

"Well, you have enhanced speed, hearing, strength, and I would know what you would be doing a lot of the time." Gabriel answered.

"Huh." He shrugged. "Ok."

"I would also know if you betray us again. You can also speak to me telepathically to me. So if you need anything, I'm just a thought away." He explained the last part softly. Tyler figured that he may look like a scary guy but all in all, he's a good guy.

"Thanks." Gabriel said, reading his mind. "But I can also be very scary." He added, joking with him.

"Oh, I know you can be." Tyler said with wide eyes. Gabriel laughed a musical laugh that Tyler enjoyed listening too.

"Well, I better get going." He said, walking to the door. "I'll walk you out." Brook offered, grabbing her coat. They went outside, standing in front of the house.

"So, this is goodbye." Brook said sadly, balancing on the back of her heels. Tyler smiled at the tone of her voice, then said, "No it isn't. I'll always be around and stop by every once in a while." He said, looking down at her with the smile still on his face.

"Do you have to go?" She asked with more sadness.

"Yes, I have to figure a few things out for myself, and get my life back in order." He answered. "But I won't be far." He added to cheer her up. She smiled, believing.

"Ok, but promise you'll still see me." She ordered. "I promise." He answered, making it final with a kiss. Brook smiled into the kiss. She felt something this time, and was happy about that. Though it would still hurt to see him go. She could understand his reasons for leaving. It wasn't like he was going to die. He was more than capable of defending himself now, being that he has Gabriel's blood in him. That was her connection to him, through Gabriel. She stepped back, breaking the kiss.

"You better go, before I lock you up to keep you form leaving." She joked. The feeling of sadness wouldn't go away. He was the first friend she made after escaping Devin.

"Yeah, I better." He gave her one last kiss before turning to go. She stood in place for a while after Tyler walked away a long time ago.

"Hey, are you okay?" She looked in the direction of Skyler's voice. She was leaning against the doorframe, looking at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just… a little sad. That's all." Brook answered softly with her head down. She walked into the house, passing Skyler. She headed to their room to lay down. Skyler followed.

Brook laid on her side, facing the wall. She wasn't going to cry. This was a happy thing for Tyler and she wasn't going to be disappointed or sad about it. That would be weak, she didn't want to be weak. She had to be strong about it.

"Brook, are you ok?" Skyler asked sympathetically. Brook turned over too look at Skyler, crying. She damned herself for that.

"You should know." She laughed. Skyler walked over and sat on the bed, looking down at Brook.

"He's going to be ok." Skyler assured her.

"I know, but I wish he didn't leave." Brook confessed through tears. She sat up beside her sister. Skyler wrapped her arms around her, comforting her. Brook immediately let her tears flow at the affection she got from Skyler.

"It's ok to cry." Skyler whispered, caressing her hair soothingly. "I know." She hiccupped. Brook leaned back, wiping away her tears.

"I feel like a baby." She laughed, attempting at humor to cheer herself up.

"Think about it if you guys dated." Skyler joked. Brook thought about that for a second. She didn't know if she could date yet. Tyler was really the only guy she trusted out of any guy other then Gabriel.

"It wouldn't be that bad, he's really the only guy I trust ." She shrugged out of thought.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Brook asked, smiling mischievously.

"Errr, kind of." Skyler answered unsurely.

"Kind of? How is that happening?" Brook asked shocked.

"Um… it's kind of difficult to explain." She answered hesitantly.

"Try." Brook coaxed.

"Well, you know how that Francesca is a lifemate to Gabriel?" She asked, trying to make Brook understand.

"Yeah, Gabriel found her after he was on the verge of turning vampire." Brook understood, explaining.

"Well, I'm a lifemate to a Carpathian male." Skyler confessed. Brook looked shock at the news. "Wow." She mouthed.

"Why do you sound so…." Brook searched for a word. "unpleasant about it?" She finally asked.

"Because…" Skyler began reluctantly. She shifted her position on the bed uncomfortably while Brook waited for an explanation. "it kind of scares me to be with a man. Especially anyone so powerful" Skyler confessed.

"What scares you about him?" Brook asked.

"Just the fact that he's male. Carpathian males tend to be controlling of their lifemates if they find them. I won't be controlled again." Skyler explained.

"How do you know that you're a lifemate to him?"

"He found me when I was attacked in the mountains. He gave me some of his blood. You just know, sort of feeling connected to them in an odd way." She answered, playing with the blankets on the bed. "Plus when I was little and being mistreated, he would come in my dreams and comfort me when I slept." She added.

"It doesn't sound so terrible to me." Brook said with wander.

"It's not but it's really scary when you find out you're a lifemate to a Carpathian male." Skyler said.

"How? I think I would be grateful."

Skyler sighed then began explaining. "Ok, you've been mistreated the same way that I've been. Controlled, misused, verbally, physically, and sexually abused." Brook nodded, urging her to go on. "Then all of a sudden, you find out that you're destined to be with someone as big as Gabriel or bigger, powerful, stronger, and can easily control just with a thought. That is really scary." Skyler finished.

Brook began thinking about it. Skyler was right. After what has happened to her, she would run the other way if she found out that she was destined to be with someone like that. "Are all Carpathian males like that? Big and powerful?" She asked. Skyler nodded. "That would be scary." She said with awe.

"But I don't have to worry about that. I'm still young and can basically live a normal life." She said.

"I wouldn't think that yet. The only way a human can be a lifemate to a Carpathian male is if she is a psychic. You have a psychic gift. The ability to create fire with your mind." Skyler said, ruining her image of having a normal life.

"Errr, I don't think so. I would just run away and he couldn't get me." Brook said, unsure of herself. Skyler shrugged her shoulders and said, "That didn't work for me."

"What's his name?" Brook asked.

"Dimitri." She answered, walking over her to her dresser and pulling out pajamas. "He's letting me live out my life until he comes to claim me." After that, she walked out the room, leaving Brook in thought. She walked out of the room, in search of Francesca. She wanted to talk to her about this.

She found her in the living room, making a blanket. She looked up from her work. "Hi honey." She greeted with a loving a smile. Brooks mother would look at her that way.

"Hi, can I ask you something?" Brook asked, sitting down beside her.

"Sure."

"Skyler said that she was lifemate to a Carpathian male, how is that possible?" Brook asked. Francesca set her work down and shifted toward her.

"Well, a Carpathian female or a human psychic female can become a lifemate to a Carpathian male." She explained. Skyler said the same thing to her.

"Isn't that kind of scary?" She asked.

"It can be, but it can also be wonderful." Francesca answered.

"How?"

"At first I was scared, but then he showed me all the wonderful things about being Carpathian. In the end, it was the happiest thing of my life." She answered softly, smiling.

"You said a human psychic female, does that mean…" She hesitated, wanting to see if Skyler was telling the truth. "that I could be a lifemate to a Carpathian male?" She finally asked.

"There could be a good chance but you also have a chance of not being one either." Francesca answered.

"That's good. I don't think I could handle being a lifemate to a Carpathian male." Brook confessed.

"You're still young. So you have a while before you know." Francesca caressed her hair.

"I know but I don't really want to be. Trusting guys is going to take me a while. I only really trust Tyler and I like him." Brook confessed. "Plus I think it's rare to be a lifemate to a Carpathian male." She added.

"I know. But know that if you are, it's a wonderful thing." Francesca said, smiling. Brook smiled a little at the happiness she had in her voice.

"Alright, well, I'm going to bed. I'm kind of tired." She hugged Francesca then kissed her on the cheek before getting ready for bed. She stopped walking then turned around and said, "Goodnight, mom." Francesca smiled, then went back to her work.

Gabriel came into the room. "Is she ok?" Gabriel asked.

"She's fine, but she knows about human psychic women being a lifemate to a Carpathian male." Francesca answered.

"At least she'll be ready if she is." Gabriel said, sitting down beside her.

"True, but it's going to be a while for her to trust him if she is." Francesca explained, repeating her words.

"That's true but she'll be special. But for right now, she's only fourteen and has her life ahead of her." Gabriel explained.

"She's happy right now and that's all that matters." She said, going into Gabriel's arms.

**-This is the end of the story but their is one more chapter about Tyler. Please tell me what you think. Reviews would be appreciated. Criticism is also allowed. :D-**


	10. Chapter 10: One Day Returning

Tyler walked down the dark street. He was free, free to begin his life. He had Gabriel's blood in his veins that only made him stronger. Brook was sad about him leaving, but she was stronger than most people, and could through it. She's happy and has a family that loves her like their own daughter. She has a chance at a second life.

He found that things could be beautiful in the world.

"Thanks Brook." He said, looking up into the starry sky.

"_Take care of her."_ He thought to Gabriel.

"_We will. She is safe with us."_ Gabriel responded.

"_Good."_ He replied.

"_Remember, we're here if you need anything."_ He reminded him.

"_I know, thank you."_ He replied, breaking the connection. He turned the corner of his apartment building.

He entered his apartment. He looked around the rundown space. The walls were cracked and the white was fading away. The carpet was brown, and snagged. His bed was small, the sheets were stained.

This was the place with so much memories. He was leaving and never returning to the place that only caused bad memories to return. The only good thing was Brook. He pulled out an old suitcase and began packing the clothes that he had.

"_I'll return one day."_ He thought.

"_You will."_ He heard Gabriel reply. He smiled. He definitely had something to come back too. But that would be a while.

One day he would return. He would return for the only good thing he came across.

_Brook._

**-This is the last chapter of the story. Please tell me what you think. Criticism is also allowed. :D-  
**

**-The next story will be about Brook and Ashton.-**

**Thanks,  
Konotsu**


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